RUSSIA: St. Petersburg Considers Penalties For Sharing Pro-Gay "Propaganda"

St. Petersburg has become the third Russian city to consider imposing penalties for sharing materials that the government considers to be pro-gay propaganda. Pink News reports:

The draft law introduces fines for what it terms the “propaganda of sodomy, lesbianism, bisexualism and transgenderism, to minors” and “propaganda of paedophilia”. Fines range from a minimum of 1,000 roubles (£20) for an individual to 50,000 (£1,000) for a business. Polina Savchenko, General manager of LGBT organization Coming Out, Russia told LGBT Asylum News: “By combining homosexuality, bisexuality, and transsexuality into one law with sexual crimes against minors, members of the Legislative Assembly indulge in gross manipulations of public opinion. Their goal – to pass an anti-democratic law, directed at severely limiting human rights in St. Petersburg.