Russia vows to defend traditional values' against gay propaganda'

Russia vows to defend traditional values' against gay propaganda'In a document signed by President Vladimir Putin, Russia has vowed to defend its values against the United States and gay propaganda

by Agence France-Presse

10-11-2022 02:34

in LGBTQIA+

Russian President Vladimir Putin attends a meeting with RusNano State Corporation CEO Sergey Kulikov in Moscow on 15 June, 2022. Photo: Mikhail METZEL / SPUTNIK / AFP

Russia on Wednesday vowed to defend its traditional values against threats from the United States and gay propaganda in a document signed by President Vladimir Putin.

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The presidential decree, setting out official policy and entering force immediately, stresses the importance of traditional values as the basis of Russian society .

It warns that Moscow must take urgent measures to ward off threats including terror groups, certain mass media and the United States and other unfriendly foreign countries .

It also lists internal threats from the activities of certain organisations and people on Russian soil .

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These foes risk implanting alien ideas in Russian society and causing the destruction of the traditional family unit through propaganda of nontraditional sexual relationships, the decree says, using a phrase referring to LGBTQ relationships.

The Orthodox Church welcomed the document as a way to preserve our people and protect our children from being defiled, senior cleric Fyodor Lukyanov told TASS state news agency.

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The mission statement comes as Russian lawmakers are pushing through amendments to toughen up a controversial 2013 law banning gay propaganda to minors, rewriting it to include adults as well.

Rights campaigners say the new amendments mean, in effect, that any public mention of same-sex couples is being criminalised.

Putin's new decree also warns that the country's enemies are distorting historical truth .

The former KGB agent has sought to associate his regime with Soviet-era successes and gradually cracked down on the rights and freedoms gained after the breakup of the USSR.

Agence France-Presse

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