Source: HRO.org (info), 20/03/12

· Leningrad region & St. Petersburg  · Sexual minorities

Russia's LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgendered) community activists have called on the authorities of the European Union, USA, Canada and Australia to impose bans on entry to these countries for St. Petersburg Governor Georgy Poltavchenko and a deputy of the Legislative Assembly of St. Petersburg Vitaliy Milonov, who is the author of the bill banning propaganda of homosexuality.

"Milonov and Poltavchenko have disgraced Russia. They have succeeded in dragging our country and its ‘culture capital’ back to medieval barbarism. There is no place for them in contemporary civilised societies. Deputy Milonov and Governor Poltavchenko do not share the values of democracy, freedom and human rights. They cannot be allowed to spread their homophobic views abroad," says the open letter cited by Grani.ru.

According to Interfax, Georgy Poltavchenko approved the law "prohibiting propaganda of homosexuality and paedophilia" on the 11th March this year. This law is to take effect in ten days’ time. Those found guilty of violating the law would face fines ofup to 5,000 roubles for individuals, up to 50,000 roubles for officials, and up to 500,000 roubles for organisations.

The Rosbalt news agency reports that in response to the law just passed in the northern capital, musician Svetlana Surganova urged St. Petersburg Governor Georgiy Poltavchenko to focus his efforts on administrative matters involved in running the city.

“Who came up with this law? The governor? The governor, it seems to me, should be busy ensuring that the city is able to function well”, Surganova noted in an interview with Echo of St. Petersburg radio station.

In Surganova’s opinion, questions of this nature should be handled by different authorities.

“This doesn’t strike me as a particularly urgent problem faced by our city at present”, the rock musician added. “I would suggest the St. Petersburg governor draw on the experience of many foreign countries, which have adopted a progressive, enlightened approach to this question.”

Earlier the world-wide LGBT community called on Poltavchenko not to sign the bill into law. The video petition has been posted on site AllOut.org and has already gathered more than 90,000 signatures.

“In St. Petersburg they have just approved the law that makes it a crime to read, write and speak about any homosexual matters… St. Petersburg governor wants to make his city into a number-one tourist destination. If this law is passed, we shall not visit the city. Millions of people will not come to the city”, declares the promo posted on the website, which is accompanied by music from Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake. “Governor, we urge you to think twice. And do enjoy this music composed by the renowned Russian composer Petr Tchaikovsky. This music virtuoso was also a homosexual.’, the promo says.

According to the bill, “public actions aimed at spreading propaganda of sodomy, lesbianism, bisexualism and transgenderism to minors should be understood as encompassing the purposeful and uncontrolled public dissemination of information capable of causing damage to the health and the moral and psychological development of minors, including encouraging minors to form a distorted understanding of the equal social value of traditional and non-traditional unions.”