The Russian parliament has adopted the bill prohibiting “LGBT propaganda” in Russia in the first reading. The ban applies to mass media, books, the Internet, advertisements, and cinema.
According to the State Duma website, the deputies approved amendments to the legislation prohibiting “the propaganda of non-traditional relationships” unanimously in the first reading.
State Duma speaker Vyacheslav Volodin announced that he cannot rule out the consideration of tighter restrictions as part of the LGBT propaganda bill in the second reading.
In the summer of 2022, Volodin submitted the bill for review to the relevant State Duma committee with an explanatory note:
“Family, motherhood, and childhood in their traditional understanding, one that we inherited from our ancestors, are the values that ensure a continuous succession of generations and serve as the condition of sustainability and development of Russia’s multi-ethnic nation, which is why they must enjoy special protection of the state.”
Earlier, Russia treated “LGBT propaganda” only among minors as a punishable offense.