Putin Signs Expanded Anti-LGBTQ+ Laws In Russia

Vladimir Putin has signed into law a bill that expands a ban on so-called LGBTQ+ “propaganda” in Russia, making it illegal for anyone to promote same-sex relationships or suggest that non-heterosexual orientations are “normal.”

The Kremlin is cracking down on free speech and human rights as its military operation in Ukraine falters.

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The new law significantly broadens the scope of a 2013 law banning the dissemination of LGBTQ+-related information to children and young people. The new iteration extends the ban on promoting such information to adults as well, according to CNN.

The new laws make it illegal to promote or “praise” LGBTQ+ relationships, publicly express non-heterosexual orientations or suggest that they are “normal” [sic].

The package of amendments signed by Putin include heavier penalties for anyone promoting “non-traditional sexual relations and/or preferences,” as well as pedophilia and gender transition. It will be banned across the internet, media, books, audiovisual services, cinema, and advertising.

Under the new law, individuals can be fined up to 400,000 rubles for “LGBT propaganda” and up to 200,000 rubles for “demonstrations of LGBT and information that encourages a change of gender among teenagers.” These fines rise to up to 5 million rubles and 4 million rubles respectively for legal entities.

The European Court of Human Rights ruled in 2017 that the law is discriminatory, promotes homophobia, and violates the European Convention on Human Rights. The court found that the law “served no legitimate public interest,” rejecting suggestions that public debate on LGBTQ+ issues could influence children to become homosexual, or that it threatened public morals.

Homosexuality was decriminalized in Russia in 1993, but homophobia and discrimination is still rife. It is ranked 46th out of 49 European countries for LGBTQ+ inclusion by watchdog ILGA-Europe.

Tanya Lokshina, associate Europe and Central Asia director at Human Rights Watch said: “The 2013 ‘gay propaganda’ law was an unabashed example of political homophobia, and the new draft legislation amplifies that in broader and harsher ways.”

The broadening of the “LGBT propaganda” law is just the latest in many steps that Putin’s government has taken in recent months to crush the last pockets of opposition, liberal values and free speech in Russia.

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