Brussels, May 20 (IANS/RIA Novosti): The European Union (EU) has appealed to Russia not to introduce a law banning so-called "gay propaganda" .
Russia’s lower house of parliament, the State Duma, intends to pass a law by the end of the current session (mid-July) banning dissemination of information among minors promoting homosexuality.
Amendments will be made May 26-27, after which a working group will compile the draft law along with representatives of civil society and gay rights activists.
“The EU called on Russia to refrain from adopting federal legislation on ‘homosexual propaganda’, which it believed could increase discrimination and violence against LGBTI individuals,” the EU said in a statement on its website Sunday.
The statement referred to the results of a meeting May 17 in Brussels between Russian and EU diplomats on human rights issues.