MOSCOW, October 17. /TASS/. Initiatives to ban information promoting non-traditional sexual relations in Russia do not limit freedom of speech, Valery Fadeyev, head of the Russian Presidential Council for the Development of Civil Society and Human Rights, said on Monday at parliamentary hearings on the topic in the State Duma.
"The question about freedom of speech arises. Whether this bill is a violation of freedom of speech. The Russian Constitution states that everyone is guaranteed freedom of thought and speech and that propaganda or agitation that incites social, racial, national or religious hatred or enmity is not allowed. The topic under discussion does not seem to be mentioned in the list directly, but we do have restrictions. For example, information related to weapons, propaganda on the creation of explosives, preparation of drugs and so on," Fadeyev said.
He added that the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights emphasized that "restrictions on freedom of speech are permitted to ensure the interests of national security, to protect health and morals and to protect the reputation or rights of others." "Therefore, I don’t believe that the proposed bill restricts freedom of speech in our country," the Russian human rights councilor concluded.
In July, a group of deputies led by Nina Ostanina of Russia’s Communist Party (CPRF), chairwoman of the Duma Committee on Family, Women and Children, and Yana Lantratova of the Just Russia - For Truth party, first deputy head of the chamber's education committee, submitted a bill to the Duma seeking to introduce a total ban on information that promotes non-traditional relationships and advocates for the rejection of family values. The lawmakers proposed amendments to the law ‘On the Media’. The initiative also sought to establish a ban on the issuance of screening licenses to cinemas "for any materials of cinematography, that promote the rejection of family values and non-traditional sexual relationships."
In turn, Head of Russian State Duma Committee on Information Policy, Information Technologies and Communications Alexander Khinshtein reported on a draft law that established fines for the promotion of non-traditional sexual relationships and pedophilia. The initiative, among other things, envisages fines for LGBT propaganda for citizens in the amount of up to 200,000 rubles (almost $3253), for legal entities up to 4 million rubles (almost $65,067), depending on whether the offense was committed online or using media.