Moscow, Jun 29 (IANS/RIA Novosti): Men who buy sex in southern Russia's Belgorod region will now face a considerable fine as well as public shaming, police said.

A new bill passed by the regional legislature has introduced a fines of 5,000 rubles ($150) for clients of prostitutes in Belgorod, police said.

The fines will be imposed by magistrates during open hearings that would expose the call girls' patrons to the public.

Prostitution is illegal in Russia, but there is no federal legislation punishing prostitutes' clients.

Belgorod has a track record of campaigning for morals under Governor Yevgeny Savchenko, who has been managing it since 1993 and is now the region's acting head.

Savchenko's administration prohibited the celebration of Valentine's Day and Halloween in the region, after a local archbishop of the Russian Orthodox Church denounced both informal holidays as alien to Russian culture.

Local authorities have also prohibited heavy metal concerts in Belgorod as part of their campaign to "end Satanic activity" in the region.