The Russian parliament today voted in favor of a law that extends the ban on LGBTQI+ expressions even further. As a result, it is no longer allowed to talk about the (rights of) the lhbtqi+ community. This is seen by parliament as the so-called promotion of homosexuality.
Since 2013, LGBTQI+ rights were no longer allowed to be discussed in front of children. As of today, this applies to people of all ages. According to the Russian parliament, any form of LGBTQI+ expression falls under the promotion of homosexuality, including simply showing a relationship between two people of the same sex. This applies to expressions online, in films and in public.
Walking hand in hand with your partner is therefore also punishable under this new law and can be fined. As a result, the freedom of Russians from the LGBTQI+ community is severely curtailed.
Alweer wordt de bewegingsvrijheid van lhbti’ers in Rusland ingeperkt. Vertegenwoordigers van de lhbti-gemeenschap zien een verband met de oorlog in Oekraïne. ‘Kennelijk zijn deze extreem radicale en waanzinnige ideeën nodig om de aandacht af te leiden’ https://t.co/AmqdX6c1ye
— de Volkskrant (@volkskrant) October 27, 2022
Vladimir Komov is a lawyer affiliated with Delo LGBT+, an organization that defends the rights of the LGBTQI+ community in Russia. He said in an interview with de Volkskrant earlier this week that he thinks the new measures are related to the Russian actions in Ukraine. “We have reached a point where such extremely radical and insane ideas are apparently necessary to divert attention from the current situation in the country.” He sees the new legislation above all as a political move, perhaps also to satisfy certain segments of society and to shock the outside world.
The Russian parliament, also known as the State Duma, voted unanimously to extend the 2013 law. The law has not yet been officially passed and must also be signed by President Vladimir Putin after a few more rounds of voting.
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