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| Russian law proposes removing gay parents' children | Russian law proposes removing gay parents' children |
| (12 days later) | |
| A member of Russian president Vladimir Putin's ruling party tabled a draft law on Thursday to take children away from homosexual parents, adding to a series of measures that activists say are undermining gay rights. | A member of Russian president Vladimir Putin's ruling party tabled a draft law on Thursday to take children away from homosexual parents, adding to a series of measures that activists say are undermining gay rights. |
| The draft law, which follows legislation banning gay "propaganda", would add homosexuality to a list of conditions including drug and child abuse that can lead to parents being stripped of custody over their children. | The draft law, which follows legislation banning gay "propaganda", would add homosexuality to a list of conditions including drug and child abuse that can lead to parents being stripped of custody over their children. |
| The proposal highlights the more hardline course on social issues that Putin has charted in his third presidential term as he seeks to boost support among conservative voters. | The proposal highlights the more hardline course on social issues that Putin has charted in his third presidential term as he seeks to boost support among conservative voters. |
| "In the case when a parent has sexual contact with people of their own gender, the damage that can be inflicted on the psyche of a child is enormous," Alexei Zhuravlyov, author of the draft, wrote in submitting it to the Russian parliament's lower house, the Duma. He said between 5% and 7% of people across Russia were of "non-traditional" sexual orientation and at least a third of those had children. | "In the case when a parent has sexual contact with people of their own gender, the damage that can be inflicted on the psyche of a child is enormous," Alexei Zhuravlyov, author of the draft, wrote in submitting it to the Russian parliament's lower house, the Duma. He said between 5% and 7% of people across Russia were of "non-traditional" sexual orientation and at least a third of those had children. |
| It was not clear if Zhuravlyov's proposal had a strong chance of becoming law, but it follows other legislation signed by Putin that rights activists and western governments say are discriminatory against homosexuals. | It was not clear if Zhuravlyov's proposal had a strong chance of becoming law, but it follows other legislation signed by Putin that rights activists and western governments say are discriminatory against homosexuals. |
| Homosexuality was decriminalised after the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, but many Russians still view it as either an affliction that requires medical treatment or a crime deserving of prosecution. | Homosexuality was decriminalised after the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, but many Russians still view it as either an affliction that requires medical treatment or a crime deserving of prosecution. |
| Putin said this week that Russia's love for composer Pyotr Tchaikovsky, who was homosexual, was proof that the country appreciated its gay population. | Putin said this week that Russia's love for composer Pyotr Tchaikovsky, who was homosexual, was proof that the country appreciated its gay population. |
| But gay activists say they are being turned into scapegoats for problems including low birth rates and an HIV/Aids epidemic that is closely tied to drug use. | But gay activists say they are being turned into scapegoats for problems including low birth rates and an HIV/Aids epidemic that is closely tied to drug use. |
| One new law prevents them from adopting children. Another on so-called gay "propaganda", which bans advocating non-traditional sexual relations around children, has caused an uproar in the west and triggered calls for a boycott of Russia's 2014 Winter Olympics in the Black Sea resort town of Sochi. | One new law prevents them from adopting children. Another on so-called gay "propaganda", which bans advocating non-traditional sexual relations around children, has caused an uproar in the west and triggered calls for a boycott of Russia's 2014 Winter Olympics in the Black Sea resort town of Sochi. |
| Putin has struck an increasingly conservative tone after protests against his 13-year rule, which have arisen mostly in Moscow and other larger cities in late 2011 and 2012, and rights activists accuse him of cracking down on dissent. | Putin has struck an increasingly conservative tone after protests against his 13-year rule, which have arisen mostly in Moscow and other larger cities in late 2011 and 2012, and rights activists accuse him of cracking down on dissent. |
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