Russian Lawmakers Face Ban Over Gay Gag Rule
by Steve Williams
LGBT rights groups in Russia have written to foreign authorities asking them to impose travel bans on Russian lawmakers that supported St Petersburg’s newly passed gay gag rule, it has been reported.
Russia’s LGBT community activists have addressed the authorities of the EU, USA, Canada, Australia, France and Germany with a request to impose bans on entries to these countries for Vitaly Milonov, the author of the scandalous “anti-gay law” and Georgy Poltavchenko, St. Petersburg governor who adopted the law by signing the final draft, GayRussa website reported Monday.
“Milonov and Poltavchenko have disgraced Russia all over the world. They have turned our country and its “culture capital” into the medieval barbaric times, what that means is that there is no place for them in the contemporary civilized countries. Milonov and Poltavchenko do not share the values of democracy, freedom and human rights. They cannot be allowed to spread their homophobic views abroad,” the authors of the open letter to the EU and other countries wrote.
The St. Petersburg law is designed to prevent the “propaganda of sodomy, lesbianism, bisexualism and transgenderism” under the guise of protecting children. The legislation includes a ban on gay positive messages in public and would serve to virtually ban gay pride events.
For breaking this law there is a fine of 5,000 rubles ($170) for individuals, and for officials 50,000 rubles ($1,725). The fine for legal entities is 500,000 rubles ($17,250).
St. Petersburg Governor Gregory Poltavchenko signed the bill into law earlier this month.
Now, Russian Orthodox Church officials have begun lobbying for the government to adopt a nationwide ban on the promotion of gay rights.
The European Union has already adopted a resolution “strongly” condemning the law.
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