Source: HRO.org (info), 24/04/12

· Moscow city & Moscow region  · Rights of children  · Sexual minorities

Moscow City Duma deputies have voted to develop a new law that would ban “propaganda” not only of homosexual, but also of heterosexual, relations among minors, writes the newspaper Vedomosti.

“Moscow needs a law that bans not only homosexual propaganda but propaganda of any sexual relations. This needs to be worked on,” said Moscow City Duma Speaker Vladimir Platonov, after the conclusion of a round table discussion about the ban on homosexual propaganda.

Platonov added that such a law should be adopted at both the municipal and federal levels. For this reason, Moscow Duma deputies plan to develop the legislation jointly with the Federation Council. The speaker voiced a complaint that the issue of banning propaganda is currently “a line of contention between individuals of a traditional sexual orientation and those of a non-traditional one.”

Lyudmila Stebenkova, chair of the Moscow City Duma Committee for Healthcare and Public Health Protection, said the Constitutional Court of the Russian Federation has already confirmed the proposed Moscow initiative as constitutional, reports Ridus.ru, citing Vedomosti.