The Russian Duma has approved on Wednesday in second reading a bill that increases administrative fines against those who promote LGBT «propaganda» in the country, a measure that has drawn widespread criticism from international human rights organizations.
Specifically, fines for «non-punishable» acts and for citizens will be from 50,000 to 100,000 rubles, while for officials they will range from 100,000 to 200,000 rubles. The range will amount to more than 800,000 for legal entities up to one million rubles.
The stiffening of fines for supporting «non-traditional relations» in Russia is envisaged both in the media and on the Internet, as well as in various cultural formats, and also extends to foreign citizens, TASS news agency has reported.
The extension, which follows another approved last October, also covers «non-traditional relations between minors», as well as pedophilia propaganda and information that promotes sex changes among teenagers. The government will have the power to close media or Internet sites that violate the law, as well as to expel foreign citizens.
With this law, the Russian authorities tighten the criteria established in a 2013 law that was already harshly criticized by Human Rights organizations, which now warn of a reinforcement of conservative positions in Russia, taking advantage of the war in Ukraine.
