The deputies shared a kiss – Newspaper Kommersant No. 216 (7417) dated 11/22/2022

The State Duma Committee on Information Policy on Monday recommended the adoption in the second reading of a bill on a complete ban on LGBT propaganda. At the same time, representatives of the book industry and the media, who expressed “basic support” for this initiative, raised questions and concerns about the enforcement of the future law. A separate dispute during the discussion arose because of the gay kiss shown on the Rossiya 1 TV channel.

To the draft law on the prohibition of propaganda of non-traditional sexual relations, contributed 31 amendments were submitted to the Duma by 400 deputies and adopted in the first reading on October 27, 11 of which the profile committee recommends for adoption, its head Alexander Khinshtein (United Russia) said at the beginning of the extended meeting of the committee. He himself proposed to include in the list of prohibited information materials that promote not only non-traditional sexual relations or preferences and pedophilia, but also sex change. Roskomnadzor will be required to monitor the Internet in search of such information. It is also specified that the sale of goods, including imported goods, containing prohibited information is not allowed.

A long discussion was caused by the amendment of the deputy from the “Fair Russia – For Truth” (SRZP) Yana Lantratova on the ban on computer games with LGBT propaganda, which was not supported by the committee. Mr. Khinshtein explained to the supporters of this idea that video games need separate regulation, and for a start it is necessary to define this essence in the law. In addition, according to him, the wording proposed by the bill also covers video games.

In addition to the members of the committee, representatives of the Ministry of Culture, the Union of Cinematographers of Russia, the Presidential Council for Human Rights, the Russian Book Union (RKS), the Union of Journalists of Russia took part in the discussion. All of them generally supported the initiative, but some expressed concerns about the enforcement of the new norms.

For example, music producer Igor Matvienko saw “no threat” from the adoption of this bill for the music industry. But the executive director of the RCC, Elena Starostina, complained about the lack of clear criteria and asked what to do with the literature that has already been published and will be subject to the law (on the claims of the RCC Kommersant reported in detail on November 21). To this, Alexander Khinshtein replied that all products with LGBT propaganda, which were previously labeled as 18+, will now simply be banned for everyone.

How the law will operate, the head of the committee tried to explain with specific examples. Thus, information about the sexual orientation of Oscar Wilde, according to the deputy, is not propaganda, but will become such if it is indicated that he “became a wonderful writer because of his orientation.”

United Russia deputy, host of the Rossiya 1 TV channel Yevgeny Popov spoke as a media worker: he asked a representative of Roskomnadzor whether, for example, the story that a Russian journalist and writer Mikhail Zygar (included by the Ministry of Justice in the register of foreign agents) entered into a marriage in Portugal with actor Jean-Michel Shcherbak, given that their blurred kiss was shown on the screen. Mr. Khinshtein expressed the opinion that such a plot could do without this kiss.

Alexander Yushchenko (KPRF), who remained silent during the entire two-hour meeting, was indignant at why the media reported about it at all: “We are children of the Soviet era,” he explained his rejection.

Deputy Popov, however, insisted that journalists have the right to determine what to show them, including to create a negative image. Deputy head of Roskomnadzor Vadim Subbotin said that his department is not against anti-propaganda, but did not rule out a fine for such an episode. As a result, the adoption of the bill in the second reading was supported by all members of the committee, except for Yevgeny Popov, who abstained.

In parallel, on Monday, the Committee on Legislation approved amendments to the Code of Administrative Offenses on punishment for violation of established prohibitions. For the promotion of non-traditional sexual relations and gender reassignment, a fine of 50,000 to 400,000 rubles is provided for citizens, and up to 5 million rubles for legal entities. (the maximum sanction will apply when using the media and the Internet). For the dissemination of information among minors that demonstrates such relationships or can cause children to want to change their sex, citizens face a fine of up to 200 thousand rubles, and legal entities – up to 4 million rubles. At the same time, the amendments of the deputies Nina Ostanina (KPRF) and Nikolai Burlyaev (SRZP), who proposed to introduce criminal liability for the repeated violation of these prohibitions, were recommended by the committee to be rejected.

Maria Makutina, Ksenia Veretennikova