World News

MOSCOW — The Russian State Parliament will hear the first reading of a federal level bill that is designed after a series of regional laws banning so-called “propaganda of homosexualism.”

According to a spokesperson for the Putin government, Russian lawmakers have put the measure on the legislative calender for December 19, 2012. The Parliament will consider adopting a national ban on “gay propaganda” similar to those already existing in St. Petersburg and nine other Russian Oblasts (regions).

Igor Kochetkov, Chairman of Russian LGBT Network, called the proposed measure an “absolutely senseless law that is devoid of common sense and the right of law.”

“One year of application of such laws in the regions have shown that, in practice, they are used to persecute dissidents, not to protect the children,” said Kochetkov, in a statement.

“Under the pretext of protecting the family the author of this bill is actually set to destroy it, identifying a family as ‘biological union of a man and a woman.’ In reality this ‘farm’ approach to people shows how some deputies look to us, their constituents as no more than animals.”

Meanwhile Italian lawmakers in Milan and Venice are looking to cut ties with St. Petersburg by cancelling their “twin” status over the anti-gay laws in Russia.

In Milan, the city council approved a motion on Nov. 23 and said relations between the two cities would remain suspended until the law was revoked.

In Venice, the municipal council will also consider an initiative to suspend its partnership with St. Petersburg over the Russian city’s anti-gay law.

Tags: Anti-gay, Russia, Russian Federation, St. Petersburg

Filed under: Europe