30 Jun. 2013
Russia's President Vladimir Putin has signed the scandalous "Mizulina's" law today soon after he came back home from Finland. His initiative, which was unanimously approved by the Federation Council on June 26, did not need to pass through the Upper Chamber of the Russian Parliament. So the decision of the Russian "Senate" to stamp its approval on that gay hate law was a demonstration of Russian authorities' unanimity against "non-traditional sexual relations".
"In some countries, for example in Europe, and here in Finland, people believe that there is no need for restriction from it - well, feel free to not restrict, we are not going to interfere with your business. As for us, we will restrict it in such a way that the deputies of the Russian Duma have decided. We kindly ask to not interfere in our regulation..." - President Putin during the press-conference in Finland, June 25, 2013
This law amends the Code on Administrative violations of the Russian Federation and introduces a norm that imposes administrative liability for propaganda of non-traditional sexual relations, i.e. dissemination of information aimed at development in minors of non-traditional sexual settings, attractiveness of them, distorted perception of equality of non-traditional and traditional sexual relations or imposition of information about that causes interest in such kind of relations.
According to these amendments the following fines were imposed for "homopropaganda": for individuals 4-5 thousand rubles (ˆ93-116), officials 40-50 thousand rubles (ˆ931-1160), entities 800 thousand - 1 million rubles (ˆ18600-23230). The same actions committed via the Internet or in mass-media are punished by larger fines: individuals 50-100 thousand rubles (ˆ1160-2300), officials - 100-200 thousand rubles (ˆ2300-4600), entities -1 million rubles (ˆ23200) or an administrative suspension of entity's activities for 90 days.
The Russian Duma unanimously passed the Mizulina's law on June 11, 2013.
Russian LGBT organizations tried to oppose the obsessed homophobic deputies with no effect during this year and the ruling was pushed through by the United Russia's dominated parliament. The Russian authorities have also declined all democratic governments' and human rights organizations' accusations in violation by this law of human rights and contradiction with Russia's international commitments.
Before the approval of that law Russian LGBT activists said that they would challenge it in courts - even in the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg.
The law imposed draconian fines for propaganda of the so-called "non-traditional sexual orientation" among minors. The norms of the Mizulina's law are so vague, believe human rights watch-dog groups, that it will enable the authorities to use them as means of censure, restriction of constitutional rights of LGBT people all for denial of the gay emancipation. "Mizulina's law" was broadly welcomed by religious obscurantists, clericals and nationalists.
This law, signed by Putin, will come into full effect after 10 days from the date of its official publication in the "Rossiyskaya Gaseta".
English translation presented by Yerdna Bananes