Yesterday in Russia, the Duma-- the lower house of Russia's Parliament-- passed two bill of interest. The first is a ban on publicly insulting religious feelings. As reported by RT, the Duma passed amendments to Article 148 of the Criminal Code (full text of bill in Russian) that would punish offenses by up to three years in prison and a fine of 500,000 rubles ($15,600 US). The bill also imposes up to one year in prison and disqualification for certain public offices for two years for anyone convicted of obstructing the activities of religious organizations. Premeditated and public desecration of religious objects or books will be punishable by fines of up to 200,000 rubles ($6,200 US). The bill is strongly backed by the Russian Orthodox Church, particularly after the widely publicized punk-band Pussy Riot demonstration in Moscow's main cathedral last February. (See prior posting.) Here is the legislative history page from the Duma (in Russian). To become law, the bill must still be approved by the Federation Council, the Upper House of the Russian parliament, and signed by President Putin.
The Duma yesterday also passed by an overwhelming vote a bill that would outlaw homosexual propaganda aimed at individuals under 18 years of age. (Legislative history page in Russian.) The bill primarily embodies amendments to the Law On Protection of Children From Information Harmful To Their Health and Development (full text of bill in Russian). According tp Russia Beyond the Headlines the bill describes its purpose as combating "the dissemination of information that aims to induce minors to develop non-traditional sexual attitudes, to see non-traditional sexual relationships as attractive, to develop the distorted notion that traditional and non-traditional sexual relationships possess the same value, or the dissemination of information on non-traditional sexual relationships that arouses interest in such relationships."
Fines for violations of the bill's prohibitions vary depending on whether the violator is a private individual, an official, or an entity. Fines are higher if the prohibited information is disseminated through the media or on the Internet. Foreign nationals who violate the law also face arrest of up to 15 days and expulsion from the country. This bill must also still be approved by the Federation Council and signed by President Putin before it finally becomes law.
