‘Leave children alone’ – Putin on gay rights in
Russia
Published time: January 18, 2014 13:38
President
Vladimir Putin explained to Sochi-2014 Olympic Games volunteers the difference
between the ban on gay propaganda among underage minors in Russia and criminal
prosecution of homosexuals in some countries.
“There is no ban for homosexual relations in Russia, yet propaganda of
homosexuality among minors – and pedophilia in particular – are prohibited,” Putin said during a Q&A session with
volunteers at the Sochi Winter Olympics.
The president stressed that a ban on certain kind of relations and an
interdiction on propaganda of such relations are “totally different
things.”
“We neither disallow anything [homosexual] nor bust anybody [who’s
gay], we have no criminal liability for such relations – as opposed to many
other countries of the world,” the
president emphasized.
“So you can feel calm and relaxed – but leave the children alone,
please,” Putin demanded, recalling that in some
countries the issue of legalizing pedophilia has been discussed openly.
“We’re not going to take up that lead towards unknown consequences
like weak-willed underlings,” the
Russian president stated. “We have our own traditions and our own
culture. We treat with respect all of our partners and we anticipate that our
traditions and culture are respected.”
The so-called
“gay propaganda” law introduces fines for propaganda of non-traditional sex
relations to minors, including in the media, on the internet and via viral
adverts. The law stipulates fines for giving children propaganda about
homosexuality.
Earlier in January, a group of 27 Nobel laureates wrote an open letter
to President Putin urging him to repeal the so-called “gay propaganda
law” as it “inhibits the freedom of local and foreign” LGBT
communities.
But the
International Olympic Committee says that Russia’s legislation doesn't violate
the Olympic movement’s rules.
Moreover, on Friday a senior Italian member of the International
Olympic Committee has urged “not to let politics interfere with the
Olympics” and slammed the US for its decision to include openly gay
athletes in its official Sochi delegation just to “demonstrate” that in their
country gay rights have been established.
Army of
international volunteers
Once a
contest for volunteer positions of the Sochi-2014 Winter Olympics was
announced, nearly 200,000 applications were filed from all regions of Russia
and nearly 60 countries.
As a result,
25,000 young people were chosen to work at the Sochi Olympics as volunteers.
This makes up over 35 percent of all the personnel at the Games.
“We rely on you very much.
Volunteers create the atmosphere of the Games,” Putin told the volunteers in the Sochi’s
Krasnaya Polyana winter sports center. He added that the festive atmosphere at
the sporting event and the holiday spirit of sportsmen and guests greatly
depends on the volunteers.
“A sports tournament is a festival. Sporting competitions are always
associated with emotions, with the inner turmoil of its participants, which one
way or another is projected on staff and on you. You need to be aware of this,
have a good sense of humor to balance all this within yourself and your soul,
to show externally only positive emotions,” the president said.
Russia’s
Black Sea resort city of Sochi hosts the Winter Olympics on February 7-23, with
the Paralympics to follow on March 7-16.
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