Wed Nov 20 13:39:21 UTC 2024: ## Russia Bans “Child-Free Propaganda” and Restricts Foreign Adoptions
**Moscow, Russia** – Russia’s parliament has approved sweeping new legislation targeting what it calls “child-free propaganda” and restricting the adoption of Russian children by citizens of countries that permit gender transition. The Federation Council, the upper house, unanimously approved the bills on Wednesday, following their passage in the lower house.
The legislation imposes hefty fines of up to 5 million rubles ($50,000) on individuals and businesses promoting a child-free lifestyle, either online or in person. Foreigners violating the law face deportation.
Simultaneously, a separate bill bans citizens from at least 15 countries, including most of Europe, Australia, Argentina, and Canada (the U.S. was already banned), from adopting Russian children. The stated rationale is to protect children from perceived dangers associated with countries that allow gender reassignment.
While acknowledging concerns about potential misinterpretations of the “child-free propaganda” ban, Federation Council Speaker Valentina Matviyenko insisted the laws would not infringe on the right to choose not to have children. She framed the legislation as necessary to shield Russian society from “new dangerous phenomena.”
These moves are the latest in a series of increasingly conservative measures promoted by the Russian government, particularly since the war in Ukraine intensified tensions with the West. Last year, Russia banned gender-transition medical procedures and declared the LGBTQ+ movement “extremist.” A law prohibiting the dissemination of LGBTQ+ information to all ages was also enacted in 2022.
The bills now await President Vladimir Putin’s signature, which is expected, solidifying these significant restrictions on individual freedoms and international adoptions.
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