On June 11, 2013, the Amnesty International (AI) slammed Putin government after the state Duma in Moscow passed two new bills, almost unanimously, which oulaw blasphemy and activism by lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) individuals and other supporters.
The AI in its statement called the passage of those two laws: dark day for freedom of expression in Russia.
“In the space of mere hours, the Duma succeeded in adopting two pieces of legislation that testify to the shrinking space for freedom of expression in Russia. They represent a sorry attempt by the government to bolster its popularity by pandering to the most reactionary elements of Russian society – at the expense of fundamental rights and the expression of individual identities,”
The bills are part of an effort by the regime to promote traditional Russian values instead of the so-called “Western liberalism”, which the Kremlin and the Russian Orthodox Church see as corrupting Russian youth and contributing to the protests against Putin’s rule.
According to the bill, “public actions expressing clear disrespect for society and committed with the goal of offending religious feelings of the faithful” would be punishable with jail terms of up to one year and fines of up to 300,000 rubles ($9,200). While “publicly expressing clear disrespect to believers, including actions undertaken at places of worship,” would be punishable by up to three years in prison, fines of up to 500,000 rubles, and compulsory correctional labor.
The Russian Orthodox Church has blessed both bills. Vladimir Putin, who allegedly has Jewish family roots, has embraced Orthodox Church as a moral authority. He supports both bills – but claims there is no discrimination against LGBTI communities.
In September 2011, Rev. Ted Pike wrote: “The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) is the most powerful anti-Christion pro-homosexual, pro-abortion attack group in America. Yet because ADL, like its sister attack group SPLC, is entirely staffed by far left Jews, Christian groups virtually never criticize it“.
In May 2, 2012, Ted Pike wrote: “Jews dominate such anti-Christian “civil liberties” groups as the American Civil Liberties Union, the Southern Poverty Law Center, and People for the American Way. No Jewish attack group more completely represents the liberal Jewish community than the Anti-Defamation League. While Jewish-dominated Hollywood and “big three” TV networks have normalized homosexuality in culture, ADL has worked to establish it legally and make homosexuality not only protected but privileged.”
The US-based Human Rights Watch (HRW), headed by Kenneth Roth, a Zionist Jew, also criticized Russian lawmakers for passing the anti-LGBTI bill. Graeme Reid, director of HRW’s LGBTI program, said in a statement: “Russia is trying very hard to make discrimination look respectable by calling it ‘tradition’, but whatever term is used in the bill, it remains discrimination”.
In December 2012, HRW fired top UNHRC envoy, Jewish professor Richard Falk for criticizing Israel for its human rights abuses against native Muslim and Christian Palestinians.
AI slams Russia over anti-blasphemy-LGBTI laws | Rehmat's World
The AI in its statement called the passage of those two laws: dark day for freedom of expression in Russia.
“In the space of mere hours, the Duma succeeded in adopting two pieces of legislation that testify to the shrinking space for freedom of expression in Russia. They represent a sorry attempt by the government to bolster its popularity by pandering to the most reactionary elements of Russian society – at the expense of fundamental rights and the expression of individual identities,”
The bills are part of an effort by the regime to promote traditional Russian values instead of the so-called “Western liberalism”, which the Kremlin and the Russian Orthodox Church see as corrupting Russian youth and contributing to the protests against Putin’s rule.
According to the bill, “public actions expressing clear disrespect for society and committed with the goal of offending religious feelings of the faithful” would be punishable with jail terms of up to one year and fines of up to 300,000 rubles ($9,200). While “publicly expressing clear disrespect to believers, including actions undertaken at places of worship,” would be punishable by up to three years in prison, fines of up to 500,000 rubles, and compulsory correctional labor.
The Russian Orthodox Church has blessed both bills. Vladimir Putin, who allegedly has Jewish family roots, has embraced Orthodox Church as a moral authority. He supports both bills – but claims there is no discrimination against LGBTI communities.
In September 2011, Rev. Ted Pike wrote: “The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) is the most powerful anti-Christion pro-homosexual, pro-abortion attack group in America. Yet because ADL, like its sister attack group SPLC, is entirely staffed by far left Jews, Christian groups virtually never criticize it“.
In May 2, 2012, Ted Pike wrote: “Jews dominate such anti-Christian “civil liberties” groups as the American Civil Liberties Union, the Southern Poverty Law Center, and People for the American Way. No Jewish attack group more completely represents the liberal Jewish community than the Anti-Defamation League. While Jewish-dominated Hollywood and “big three” TV networks have normalized homosexuality in culture, ADL has worked to establish it legally and make homosexuality not only protected but privileged.”
The US-based Human Rights Watch (HRW), headed by Kenneth Roth, a Zionist Jew, also criticized Russian lawmakers for passing the anti-LGBTI bill. Graeme Reid, director of HRW’s LGBTI program, said in a statement: “Russia is trying very hard to make discrimination look respectable by calling it ‘tradition’, but whatever term is used in the bill, it remains discrimination”.
In December 2012, HRW fired top UNHRC envoy, Jewish professor Richard Falk for criticizing Israel for its human rights abuses against native Muslim and Christian Palestinians.
AI slams Russia over anti-blasphemy-LGBTI laws | Rehmat's World