Translation of Russia’s “Gay Propaganda” Law

With the 2014 Winter Olympic Games taking place in Sochi in February, Russia has come under international scrutiny for its recent “gay propaganda” law. The most recent issue of The Journal of Eurasian Law [Find it] provides an English-language translation of the law, with Russian facing text. The key part of the text reads:

“Propaganda of non-traditional sexual relations among minors, manifested in the distribution of information aimed at forming non-tradition sexual orientations, the attraction of non-traditional sexual relations, distorted conceptions of the social equality of traditional and non-traditional sexual relations among minors, or imposing information on non-traditional sexual relations which evoke interest in these kinds of relations—if these actions are not punishable under criminal law—will be subject to administrative fines….”

In the introduction to the translation, the author notes that the only foreigners prosecuted so far under this law have been four Dutch film makers who interviewed a 17-year-old boy on film about being homosexual.

See Russia’s “Gay Propaganda” Law 6 Journal of Eurasian Law 373 (2013). Translation by Erin Decker; introduction by Josh Wilson.