’Homosexual propaganda’ law signals latest Russian crackdown

 

Alexander Demianchuk / Reuters

Police detain a gay rights activist during a Gay Pride event in St. Petersburg on June 29, 2013.

By Albina Kovalyova, Producer, NBC News

MOSCOW -- A new law banning "homosexual propaganda" in Russia is raising concerns about the state of human rights in a country already notorious for silencing dissent.
The legislation is vague but its intent is clear: It is now "illegal to spread information about non-traditional sexual behavior" to minors (under 18), and there are hefty fines for those who disobey. Foreigners are also subject to fines and can be deported.
Anti-homosexual crackdowns are nothing new in Russia: In 1933 the Soviet regime imposed a law banning sexual relations between men – punishable by a five-year prison term. Although it was lifted after the fall of the Soviet Union, homophobia still runs deep.
Gay rights marches are routinely broken up and scenes of police detaining activists, sometimes before demonstrations even begin, are commonplace. On Wednesday, activists of the Moscow Gay Pride movement were detained in Moscow for holding an unsanctioned rally and for "promoting untraditional sexual relations." (They were later released.)

According to Nikolai Alexeyev, a prominent Russian gay rights activist who is frequently detained himself, crimes against homosexuals are also on the rise.
"Many gay people want to immigrate and they ask me to help [them] get political asylum, fearing for their safety," he said.
In May, a 23-year old man was allegedly murdered in the city of Volgograd on the Victory Day holiday. A suspect reportedly told police the victim was killed because he was gay. In June, Russian investigators said another man in Kamchatka was also murdered because he was gay.

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