Putin signs Russian 'anti-gay propaganda' bill into law

by Colin Stewart June 30, 2013, 6:44 am 9 Comments

The Voice of Russia, the Russian government’s international radio broadcasting service, reports:

Russian President Vladimir Putin (Photo courtesy of WIkimedia Commons)

Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed into law a controversial bill punishing people for homosexual “propaganda”, according to an official publication on Sunday.

The law introduces fines of up to 200,000 rubles ($6,700) for “propaganda of non-traditional sexual relations” to minors through the media or Internet, which may cause a “distorted understanding” that gay relations and heterosexual relations are “socially equivalent,” the law reads.

Russia’s Putin signs ‘anti-gay propaganda’ bill into law (newsinfo.inquirer.net)
By 137-0 vote, Russian senate embraces ‘gay propaganda’ ban (76crimes.com)
Russia: Police arrest 60 St. Petersburg gay pride marchers (76crimes.com)
Russian police detain dozens after clashes during gay rights march (guardian.co.uk)

Written by Colin Stewart

Colin Stewart is a 45-year journalism veteran living in Southern California. After his retirement from paid newspaper work in 2011, he launched Erasing 76 Crimes and helped with the Spirit of 76 campaign that assembled a multi-national team of 26 LGBTI rights activists to advocate for change during the International AIDS Conference in Washington, D.C., in July 2012. He is the president of the St. Paul’s Foundation for International Reconciliation, which supports LGBTQ+ rights advocacy journalism, including the Erasing 76 Crimes news site and the African Human Rights Media Network. Contact him via Twitter @76crimes or by email at info@76crimes.com. Mailing address: 21 Marseille, Laguna Niguel CA 92677 USA.

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