St Petersburg's Parliament is reviewing a bill banning so-called "gay propaganda that targets children". The law has been postponed in order to clarify the wording of the bill, which has sparked global outrage. Vilatly Milonov told the Russian news agency RIA Novosti that his measure was temporarily shelved until city lawmakers are able to agree on its "legal definitions". The bill effectively outlaws any gay pride events and would allow authorities to impose fines of up to 50,000 rubles for "public activities promoting sodomy, lesbianism, bisexuality and transgender identity" as well as paedophilia among minors. Amnesty International has condemned the measure as a "thinly veiled attempt" to fuel discrimination against St. Petersburg’s gay community. "The notion that LGBT rights activists are somehow converting Russia's youth through'‘propaganda' would be laughable, if the potential effects of this new law weren't so dangerous and wide-reaching," Nicola Duckworth, the group's Europe and Central Asia Program Director, said in a statement last week. Activists have also resented being slumped together with child sex offenders. The US has also spoken out against the bill, with its State Department repeating a declaration from Hillary Clinton that "gay rights are human rights and human rights are gay rights". "We have called on Russian officials to safeguard these freedoms, and to foster an environment which promotes respect for the rights of all citizens," a statement from the US says.
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News staff
First published: Thursday, 24th November 2011 - 2:58pm