Anti-gay law may become federal
18/11/2011
Submitted by
ILGA-Europe
Original article: http://en.gazeta.ru/news/2011/11/17/a_3839030.shtml
Federation Council speaker Valentina Matvienko said she approves the Saint Petersburg assembly law project, penalizing gay propaganda. She said that on Thursday in a Ryazan maternity clinic while watching the birth of a boy who is her namesake. "We must put a barrier against everything that destroys a child", - she said. "I didn't study this law project but if it doesn't contradict current legislation, it should be taken to a federal level. This is a good initiative, this is what worries our whole society", she said.
Such law was adopted in several federal subjects of Russia, including the Ryazan oblast and Arkhangelsk oblast. Now, it's being discussed in the Moscow city duma. Moscow authorities would like to call gay prides propaganda and thus forbid them completely.
State Duma deputies haven't yet heard about this law initiative and they have only 6 weeks of their term left so they wouldn't be able to vote on this law in any case. But influential deputies from the 'United Russia' faction are in favor. Although, they remind the public that the new law defends children against harmful information. That will cover gay and pedophilic propaganda as well.
"If this [law against gay propaganda] is meant for our state's security, this is all good. Only the people who break that law should not be fined;instead, they need to receive punishment under the criminal code", said deputy Ekaterina Lahova.
Another deputy, Nina Ostanina, says that gay propaganda is very dangerous, especially when surrogate motherhood becomes legal in Russia under a new law "On guarding citizens' health". "Does it mean that gay couples could adopt a child?" she asked indignantly.
LGBT activist leader Nikita Alexeev told Gazeta.Ru that this new anti-gay campaign is illegal. "All the people who support this project should go to prison under article 282 (which penalizes the inflicting of hatred and enmity to specific groups)".
Federation Council speaker Valentina Matvienko said she approves the Saint Petersburg assembly law project, penalizing gay propaganda. She said that on Thursday in a Ryazan maternity clinic while watching the birth of a boy who is her namesake. "We must put a barrier against everything that destroys a child", - she said. "I didn't study this law project but if it doesn't contradict current legislation, it should be taken to a federal level. This is a good initiative, this is what worries our whole society", she said.
Such law was adopted in several federal subjects of Russia, including the Ryazan oblast and Arkhangelsk oblast. Now, it's being discussed in the Moscow city duma. Moscow authorities would like to call gay prides propaganda and thus forbid them completely.
State Duma deputies haven't yet heard about this law initiative and they have only 6 weeks of their term left so they wouldn't be able to vote on this law in any case. But influential deputies from the 'United Russia' faction are in favor. Although, they remind the public that the new law defends children against harmful information. That will cover gay and pedophilic propaganda as well.
"If this [law against gay propaganda] is meant for our state's security, this is all good. Only the people who break that law should not be fined;instead, they need to receive punishment under the criminal code", said deputy Ekaterina Lahova.
Another deputy, Nina Ostanina, says that gay propaganda is very dangerous, especially when surrogate motherhood becomes legal in Russia under a new law "On guarding citizens' health". "Does it mean that gay couples could adopt a child?" she asked indignantly.
LGBT activist leader Nikita Alexeev told Gazeta.Ru that this new anti-gay campaign is illegal. "All the people who support this project should go to prison under article 282 (which penalizes the inflicting of hatred and enmity to specific groups)".
