Putin signs law expanding Russia’s rules against “LGBT propaganda”

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday signed a law expanding the country’s restrictions on promoting what he calls “LGBT propaganda”, effectively banning any public expression of LGBT behavior or lifestyle in Russia.

According to the new law, which expands Russia’s interpretation of what qualifies as “LGBT propaganda”, any act or disclosure of information deemed to be an attempt to promote homosexuality in public, on the Internet, or in movies, books or advertisements can be subject to heavy fines.

The law expands Russia’s previous law against LGBT advertisements, which outlawed “showing” LGBT behavior to children.

This comes as the Kremlin exerts increasing pressure on minority groups and Putin’s domestic opponents, crushing independent media groups and further stifling freedom of expression, despite Moscow stepping up a decade-long campaign to support what it calls “traditional” values.

Authorities have already used existing law to disrupt gay pride parades and arrest gay rights activists.

Human rights groups say the new law aims to eradicate the so-called “non-traditional” LGBT lifestyles practiced by lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people in public life.