Law of the Week

Week-ending 11 September 2020

Code of Administrative Offences of the Russian Federation

6.21. Propaganda of non-traditional sexual relationships among minors

(introduced by Federal Law No. 135-FZ dated 29 June 2013)

On Tuesday, 8 September 2020, The Moscow Times reported dozens of men in Cossack military uniforms have been filmed patrolling the streets of Russia’s fourth-largest city of Yekaterinburg during its Pride Week, local media reported Monday. The group briefly detained at least one “absolutely heterosexual” student because he had dyed hair and wore an earring, according to the e1.ru news website. “Why’d you dress up like this? Are you one of them?” the student recounted one of the Cossacks as saying to him. “Do you even know that we control the propaganda of gayness among the people?” Russian officials have used a 2013 law banning “propaganda” of gay relationships toward minors as justification for banning gay pride events and prosecuting LGBT activists.

On Thursday, 10 September 2020, The Moscow Times reported that teachers in Russia’s second-largest city of St. Petersburg have been instructed to monitor their students’ social media profiles for the presence of “LGBT symbols,” the LGBT Network rights group said. Any such symbols would be considered violations of Russia’s 2013 law that bans the display of “gay propaganda” toward minors. This spring, teachers of grades 5-11 in St. Petersburg’s Nevsky District were instructed to comb through their students’ social media pages and submit detailed reports on students who post “LGBT symbols” to the police, the LGBT Network said this week, citing screenshots of messages it obtained. 

Code of Administrative Offences of the Russian Federation

6.21. Propaganda of non-traditional sexual relationships among minors

(introduced by Federal Law No. 135-FZ dated 29 June 2013)

1. Propaganda of non-traditional sexual relationships among minors, expressed in the dissemination of information aimed at forming non-traditional sexual attitudes among minors, attractiveness of non-traditional sexual relationships, distorted image of social equality of traditional and non-traditional sexual relationships, or the forced imposition of information of non-traditional sexual relationships, which can attract interest to such relationships, if these actions do not make up a criminal offence,

– shall entail the imposition of an administrative fine in the amount of 4,000 to 5,000 rubles for citizens; in the amount of 40,000 to 50,000 rubles for officials; and in the amount of 800,000 to 1,000,000 rubles for legal entities, which can in the latter case be replaced by suspension of activity for up to 90 days.

2. Actions provided for by paragraph 1 of this Article, committed with the use of the mass media and(or) information and telecommunication networks (including Internet), if these actions do not make up a criminal offense,

– shall entail the imposition of an administrative fine on citizens in the amount of 50,000 to 100,000 rubles; for officials – from 100,000 to 200,000 rubles; for legal entities – 1,000,000 rubles or administrative suspension of activity for up to 90 days.

3. Actions provided for by paragraph 1 of this Article, committed by a foreign national or a stateless person, if these actions do not make up a criminal offense,

– shall be punishable by a fine of 4,000 to 5,000 rubles followed by administrative expulsion from the Russian Federation or administrative arrest for up to 15 days followed by expulsion from the Russian Federation.

4. Actions provided for by paragraph 1 of this Article, committed by a foreign national or a stateless person with the use of the media and(or) information and telecommunication networks (including Internet) if these actions do not make up a criminal offense,

– shall be punishable by a fine of 50,000 to 100,000 rubles followed by administrative expulsion from the Russian Federation or administrative arrest for up to 15 days followed by administrative expulsion from the Russian Federation.

Source: in English: Threefold; in Russian: Consultant.ru