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Protests over Russian 'gay propaganda' bill
Tuesday December 27, 2011 09:18:04 AM,
RIA Novosti
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Moscow: Gay rights activists staged protests in the central Russian city
of Kostroma Monday against plans to impose fines for the promotion
of homosexuality.
Last month, a similar ban was shelved in St. Petersburg, Russia's
second city, after MPs questioned its "legal definitions".
The bill, pushed by the ruling United Russia party and widely
expected to be passed by Kostroma's Duma in the first of three
required readings Tuesday, would outlaw any gay pride events.
It would also allow authorities to impose fines of up to 50,000
rubles ($1,600) for "public activities promoting homosexuality
(sodomy and lesbianism), bisexualism and transgender identity" as
well as pedophilia among minors. The promotion of "religious
sects" would also be punishable by fines.
Eight campaigners staged protests in Kostroma's city center Monday
holding posters demanding equal rights and condemning the
treatment of gays and lesbians in Russia.
The authorities claim the bill was "aimed at preventing sex crimes
against minors," but Yelena Kostyuchenko, a journalist with the
liberal Novaya Gazeta and gay rights campaigner, said
homosexuality was a "biological quality" and could not be
promoted.
She also warned against the danger of the bill's "vague criteria",
saying it was not clear quite what was to be defined as "gay
propaganda".
Igor Kochetkov, head of the St. Petersburg LGBT group Coming Out,
said the bill was being ostracized to divert public attention from
"real political and social problems" as the Kremlin tries to
appease anti-government protesters.
Russia has seen its largest protests in some two decades over
alleged vote fraud in favor of Prime Minister Vladimir Putin's
United Russia party at recent parliamentary polls.
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