Russian Duma passes first reading bill law banning LGBT propaganda

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The Russian Parliament's lower house, the State Duma, unanimously passed a draft law prohibiting the promotion of non-traditional sexual relationships in the media, on the internet, in advertisements, books, and movies in the law's first reading on Thursday.

Around 400 lawmakers, including State Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin, backed the bill.

The document, according to the State Duma, prohibits non-traditional relationship propaganda, pedophilia, the dissemination of LGBT-related information, and information encouraging gender change among teenagers on the Internet, in the media, in books, on audio and visual platforms, in movies, and in advertisements.

In addition, the bill includes a mechanism that limits children's access to LGBT-related information on paid services. 

It specifically requires users to enter codes or perform other actions to confirm their age.

Volodin had previously directed that the Duma's profile committees on information policy, information technology, and communications, as well as family, women, and children's issues, prepare for hearings.

He emphasized the importance of this issue because the lower chamber receives "a large number of appeals with requests to adopt a law prohibiting propaganda" that destroys Russian society and traditional family values.

Fines according to the bill

The bill proposes to establish a fine of up to 5 million rubles ($81,400) for promoting LGBT content among Russian citizens, which may go up to 10 million rubles for promoting pedophilia.

Responsibility for LGBT propaganda was also extended in the amendment to include not only among minors, but also adults. The fine, taking into account how it is spread, can be up 400,000 rubles for citizens and up to 5 million rubles for legal entities. Foreigners can be fined up to 400,000 rubles, arrested for up to 15 days or deported.