Controversial Anti-Gay Bill Passed In Russia

Controversial Anti-Gay Bill Passed In Russia

A recent anti-gay bill that prohibits children from receiving information on homosexuality has passed with incredible support in the Russian Duma this Tuesday.

The bill was supported by the Kremlin and had an overwhelming 436 votes for and 0 against with a single abstention. The bill very ambiguously bans the “propaganda” of homosexual values, as the Russian state tries to place itself towards more traditional Russian values and to veer away from the liberal values supported by the West.

For the bill to become effective it will still require to pass through the upper house and to get signed by President Vladimir Putin, however, the likelihood of anything stopping the bill from becoming law is very low.

Significant parts of the Russian population along with political and religious figures are very openly and strongly anti-gay. They accuse homosexuals of being responsible for the low birth rate in Russia and state they shouldn't have access to state jobs while some more extreme voices even argue that forced medical treatment might be considered.

John Dalhuisen, Amnesty International’s director for Europe and Central Asia said that the bill is a mockery and is being used by politicians to increase their popularity by appealing to a reactionary part of the Russian public while dooming basic human rights and freedom of expression in the process of making the anti-gay bill a law.

Posted by James Fried on Wednesday June 12 2013, 4:06 AM EST. Ref: theglobeandmail. Link. All trademarks acknowledged. Filed under Featured News, World. Comments and Trackbacks closed. Follow responses: RSS 2.0