Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed laws strengthening the penalties for "propagating homosexuality among minors" and for insulting the sensitivities of the religious.
The so-called "antigay" law Putin signed on June 30 introduces fines of up to 200,000 rubles ($6,700) for those found guilty of disseminating propaganda involving "nontraditional sexual relations" to minors through the media or Internet, which may cause a distorted understanding that gay relations and heterosexual relations are socially equivalent.
The addition to the law on freedom of belief and worship imposes fines up to 300,000 rubles ($10,000) for those convicted of "public actions expressing a clear disrespect to a community, committed with the goal of insulting the religious sensitivities of believers."
The law also makes it a crime to interfere with the activities of religious organizations.
The so-called "antigay" law Putin signed on June 30 introduces fines of up to 200,000 rubles ($6,700) for those found guilty of disseminating propaganda involving "nontraditional sexual relations" to minors through the media or Internet, which may cause a distorted understanding that gay relations and heterosexual relations are socially equivalent.
The addition to the law on freedom of belief and worship imposes fines up to 300,000 rubles ($10,000) for those convicted of "public actions expressing a clear disrespect to a community, committed with the goal of insulting the religious sensitivities of believers."
The law also makes it a crime to interfere with the activities of religious organizations.
