Vladimir Putin: ‘Russia is not homophobic’
By Josh Haggis
Russian President Vladimir Putin has argued that the country “doesn’t intend to persecute” LGBT people.
In June 2013, Russia passed laws banning the promotion of “non-traditional sexual relations”, and there has been an increasingly hostile atmosphere towards the country’s LGBT community.
During a speech to representatives of the Human Rights Council and the Commissioner for Human Rights in Russia today (5 December), Putin argued that countries such as the US are more homophobic than Russia.
“Traditional family, a healthy nation is our strategic choice,” said Putin. “This should not look as if we intend to persecute people of some non-traditional orientation. One does not preclude the other. Society which cannot protect its children does not have a future.”
He went on to argue that a ‘homophobic’ label has been “forced on Russia by other by countries which have criminal responsibility for people of non-traditional sexual orientation,” saying that Russia “do not have criminal responsibility of that kind.”
Meanwhile, US pop singer Selena Gomez has recently been denied a visa to perform in Russia, reportedly due to her vocal support for gay rights – read more here.
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