Russian MPs’ draft bill seeks jail for gay admission
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TWO senior Russian Communist MPs yesterday presented a draft bill calling for people who come out as gay to serve up to 15 days behind bars.
Ivan Nikitchuk and Nikolai Arefyev are proposing a fine of up to 5,000 rubles (US$80) for people who publicly say they are gay.
Those who come out in educational institutions or government offices should serve up to 15 days in police cells, they say.
Homophobia is still widespread in Russia, with 37 percent telling the Levada independent polling agency in May that homosexuality is an illness, and 18 percent saying it should be punished by law.
The MPs told the pro-Kremlin newspaper Izvestia they came up with the measure because a hugely controversial ban on “gay propaganda” to minors signed into law by President Vladimir Putin in 2013 was not proving effective.
But the proposal appeared extreme even for Russia and was not expected to get passed by parliament.
Even Saint Petersburg lawmaker Vitaly Milonov, who is among the strongest backers of the existing gay propaganda law, questioned the need for new measures.
“We can’t sentence people to 15 days just for admitting (their sexual orientation),” Milonov said.
“Of course if it’s propaganda, that’s a different matter.”
The Communist lawmakers said they planned to submit the bill to parliament later yesterday.
Nikitchuk, the 71-year-old deputy head of the parliament’s natural resources committee, said the bill would only apply to gay men.
“So far, we’re not touching women,” he said.
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