Moscow is tightening its law against LGBT+ minorities. Russian deputies adopted amendments on Thursday which considerably broaden the scope of a law banning LGBT + “propaganda”, in the midst of the Kremlin’s conservative turn accompanying its military offensive in Ukraine.
This new law, which is an expanded version of a much criticized 2013 text banning LGBT+ “propaganda” among minors, now prohibits “promoting non-traditional sexual relations” to all audiences, in the media, on the Internet, in books and in movies.
This broad scope, as well as the broad interpretation allowed by the vague concept of “promotion”, raise fears of increased repression towards LGBT+ communities in Russia, who already face strong discrimination.
Years of repression against the LGBT+ community
“Promoting non-traditional sexual relations is prohibited (…) A ban on the promotion of pedophilia and gender change has also been introduced,” Duma chief Vyacheslav Volodin said in a statement.
“The fines amount to 10 million rubles” (about 160,000 euros) for offenders, he added.
The adoption of this new law comes after years of repression against LGBT+ communities, with the Kremlin presenting itself as the defender of “traditional” values in the face of a West presented as decadent.
In the context of the conflict in Ukraine, this law is also portrayed as a means of “defending” Russia against an assault by Western countries on the level of values.