“The end of a nightmare that affects human values ​​and nature.” Tough Russian penalties for gay propaganda

MOSCOW -

The Russian Duma (parliament) adopted - today, Thursday - a bill banning propaganda of gay and bisexual people and influencing children's sexual identity and changing gender.

According to the new law, which was unanimously approved, it will prohibit propaganda between minors and adults alike, and increase the punishment for promoting sexual abuse of children, and reassigning (changing) sex.

In anticipation of exploiting any gaps in terminology and concepts, the text of the new law clarified that propaganda means publishing information or carrying out actions of a public nature aimed at creating non-traditional sexual attitudes and working to promote them, as well as distorting the idea of ​​social parity and traditional sexual relations.

The law adopted by the Russian Duma includes severe penalties for promoting sexual abuse of children (Al-Jazeera)

Other modifications

The ban includes, among other things, pictures and descriptions in words, which means that minors and adults are now prohibited from watching, reading about and listening to non-traditional sexual relations.

The law also included amendments to the Administrative Offenses Law, in particular the article related to fines for homosexual propaganda among minors, which was significantly revised.

And advertising among adults was sanctioned, that is, all Russian citizens, regardless of age, were banned.

The amendments made in the second reading of the draft law included the expansion of the fines article to include encouragement of sex change.

And the bill, which will now go to the Federation Council and beyond for the president's signature, would ban not only gay propaganda, but also pedophilia and information encouraging teens to change their sex.

Relevant restrictions apply to the media, the Internet, cinema, advertising, books and audiovisual services.

Phased war

In 2013, a law banning propaganda of homosexuality was adopted, and a clause appeared in the Administrative Offenses Code under the title: “Propagation of non-traditional sexual relations between minors,” and the fine was raised to one million rubles (about $15,000).

Experts believed at the time that this measure led to a decline in the commission of this type of crime.

For example, a court in the Russian city of Samara found a female citizen guilty of "promoting unconventional sexual relations" and ordered her to pay a fine of 50,000 rubles (more than $7,000).

The reason for this was that the citizen re-published news and links to the sites of the so-called "Youth Alliance for Sexual Rights" on social media platforms, in addition to sharing foreign publications about holding a referendum in Ireland on the legalization of same-sex marriage, and holding an exhibition in St. Petersburg about adolescents. Gay Russians.

Now, fines for promoting pedophilia on the Internet and in the media have been raised to 800,000 rubles for private persons, 2 million rubles for officials, and 10 million rubles for companies and institutions.

on low heat

Relatively much time has passed between the first and second reading of the bill, although “ideological” decisions are usually taken faster, which is consistent with what observers see as discussions, careful wording, and “bridging all possible gaps” in the text that explain the long time. .

For example, legal and psychological counseling in this context does not constitute an act of propaganda, as it does not constitute a mass action or a public dissemination of information.

Some Russian activists believe that the new law marks the end of a social nightmare (European)

"the end of a nightmare"

Social activist Vladimir Kolesnikov says the law's passage marks the end of a social "nightmare" and would help protect people and the country's future from "the dark, alien, anti-human values ​​promoted by a large number of European countries."

And Kolesnikov adds - to Al-Jazeera Net - that Western institutions and circles, under the slogan of protecting human rights and sexual minorities, used the chaos in which the country sank in the nineties, and the openness that prevailed after that stage and until now, and were able to a large extent to promote manifestations and concepts alien to customs and values. Russian multi-religious and multi-ethnic society.

In addition, the Russian activist considers that values ​​contrary to human nature can negatively affect not only the "fragile" psyche of children, but also demographic indicators, considering European standards unacceptable, alien, aggressive and "intrusive" and causing widespread public anger within society. .

Blocking interpretations

For his part, Ivan Sergeyev, an expert in legal affairs, said that the new legislation "does not in any way aim to move to a system of censorship, but rather to protect traditional values, as well as children and all segments of society from provocations and the destructive and negative impact of content."

And he believes - in an interview with Al-Jazeera Net - that one of the advantages of the new law is that it "blocks the way" in front of the interpretations that have always been promoted by homosexuals or their advocates, such as the difference between sex change and sexual transformation, so that the representatives' ignorance in the past of these details caused them to provide a service to LGBT communities, and reinforce their point of view.