St Petersburg passes anti-gay law despite outrage

The local parliament in Russia's second city of Saint Petersburg on Thursday passed a controversial law banning "homosexual propaganda", in defiance of protests by gay rights groups. The law, passed in a third and final reading with 29 lawmakers in favour and five against, makes it illegal to promote homosexuality and paedophilia among minors aged under 18. But rights groups have said the law is dangerous as it will be left up to the whim of the authorities to decide what constitutes propaganda, meaning gays could risk fines for demonstrations or showing intimate behaviour in public. "This law is shameful for the Saint Petersburg parliament," said Olga Galkina of the Yabloko (Apple) liberal party, whose deputies with one exception voted against the law. "How will citizens protect their rights? The authorities will hardly be competent to determine whether this is propaganda or lifestyle," she said. The US State Department had said earlier this month it was deeply concerned the bill would restrict freedom of assembly for gays. The Russian foreign ministry then accused Washington of interfering in the Russian legal process. Gay campaigners said that while the bill is nominally aimed at protecting minors, its vague wording could be effectively used to suppress any rights protests that could be seen by children. They have also been angered by the fact the law appears to equate homosexuality with paedophilia. But the law was strongly supported by Saint Petersburg's governor Georgy Poltavchenko and its authors have also vowed to bring a similar initiative to the federal State Duma parliament for adoption nationwide.