Stop the anti-LGBT law now!

Paris-Geneva,June 14, 2013. The Observatory for theProtection of Human Rights Defenders, a joint programme of theInternational Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and the WorldOrganisation Against Torture (OMCT), calls on the Federal Council of Russia(Upper House) to reject the law that prohibits “propaganda on non-traditionalsexual relations”, which was adopted by the Russian Duma on June 11, 2013. Thediscriminatory bill contradicts international standards that bind Russia aswell as the Russian Constitution, which guarantees equal rights to all Russiancitizens, and risks to paralyse the work of LGBT activists and NGOs promotinguniversal values of human rights for all. If it comes into force, this billwill have a further negative impact on the drastically deteriorating plight ofhuman rights defenders in the Russian Federation.

The bill bans'propaganda of non-traditional sexual relations', which is defined as 'spreadinginformation aimed at forming non-traditional sexual desires in children,describing such relations as attractive, promoting a distorted understanding ofthe social equality of traditional and non-traditional relations and throughunwanted exposure to information that could provoke interest to suchrelations'. Under the pretext of protecting the rights of minors, the law bansde facto not only any demonstrations and gatherings by LGBT activists, but aimsat silencing them also on-line. It aims to punish and wipe out any expressionsof tolerance towards homosexual, bisexual and transgender people, and byconsequence stop all the possible work on protection of the social, political,economic and civil rights of these groups.

Russian Duma adopted thetext hastily on June 11, 2013 in two final readings, almost unanimously: 436parliamentarians voted in favour, only one abstained, there were no votesagainst. The day of the adoption, the activists protesting against the bill atthe entrance of the National Assembly were attacked by violent nationalistprotesters. The special polices forces failed to protect them and only arrestedthe anti-bill demonstrators. Other activists were also later assaulted on theirway home.

If adopted, the new lawexposes offenders to heavy fines. Individuals may face a fine of 4,000 - 5,000 Roubles (93 - 116 EUR), while legal entitiescould pay between 800,000 and 1 million Roubles (18,713 - 23,291 EUR). Usingmass media to spread any LGBT-friendly content increases the fine for individualsup to 50,000 - 100,000 Roubles (1,169 - 2,339 EUR). Foreigners are likewisecovered by the bill and could face the same fines as Russian citizens anddeportation or 15-50 days of arrest and deportation.

“This bill is absolutelyshameful and has no place in a country that wishes to call itself a democracy.It violates freedom of expression and freedom of assembly, it also harassesLGBT activists and advocates both in Russia and abroad. We call on the Federal Council of Russia and the Russian President to stopthis law which tarnishes the image of Russia”, said Karim Lahidji, FIDH President.

“Apart from paralysing thework of human rights defenders in Russia, this bill will lead to even more actsof discrimination and violence towards the LGBT community and human rightsdefenders in Russia, while the impunity for such acts already prevails. Thismust be prevented”, said GeraldStaberock, OMCT Secretary General.

Russian LGBT organisations already face numerous persecutions,most notably under the new 'foreign agent' law, adopted in 2012, which targetsNGOs that receive foreign funding and are engaged in 'political activities'. Ina climate of media smear campaigns, LGBT defenders were among the firstassociations to be charged under this new law. On June 7, 2013 the 'Side bySide' LGBT film festival was charged of conducting “political activities”without being registered as a 'foreign agent' and fined to 0.5 million roubles(11,739 EUR). Another LGBT organisation from St Petersburg, 'Coming Out' (Vyhod),is currently on trial. Its second hearing held on June 11 was attended by anorganised group of nationalists, which aggressively insulting the activists. Toprevent violence, after the hearing the members of 'Coming Out' had to beescorted by the police. The hearing was preceded by an attack on LGBT activistsin St Petersburg on June 10, when they peacefully protested against the law on'propaganda of non-traditional sexual relations'. Despite all this they aredetermined to continue their work for the estimated five-million-strong LGBTcommunity in Russia.

Foradditional information, please contact:

• FIDH:Arthur Manet / Audrey Couprie: 0033 1 43 55 25 18

• OMCT:Delphine Reculeau: 0041 22 809 49 39