Russia rejects proposal to extend anti-gay law to ban all sexual materials for minors

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The lower house of the Russian Parliament today voted to reject a measure which would have extended an anti-gay law to mean that no sexual materials would be shown to minors.

Last June Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a bill into law banning the promotion of ‘non-traditional sexual relations’ to minors.

Today’s rejected bill would have amended last year’s law to ban the promotion of any sexual material to minors.

It was drafted by Maria Maksakova-Ingebergs of the United Russia Party, and aimed to protect children against “any information that promotes the priority of sexual relations before life values, spiritual and intellectual development”, claiming that such information would be harmful to children.

The bill would have made it possible to fine media outlets, cinemas, websites, and more, which published such information.

It was rejected by the Lower House committee for family, women and children. The committee said Russian law already bans sexual information distribution to minors.