Russia: Putin signs same-sex adoption ban into law

Vladimir Putin has banned same-sex couples from adopting children in Russia, the Kremlin Press Service announced on Wednesday.

The ban follows a unanimous vote by Russian lawmakers in July to legislate the bill’s passing, to which President Putin had previously promised “If such a law is passed by the Parliament of the country, I will sign it.”

The amended “Family Code” will prohibit the adoption of Russian children by foreign same-sex couples and by single individuals in countries that have legalised same-sex marriage.

An issued statement on the law said: “This measure is aimed at guaranteeing that children are brought up by their adoptive families in a balanced and complete environment and that their mental wellbeing is not affected by any unwelcome influences, such as the imposition of unconventional sexual behaviour, and also that children are protected from developing complexes and mental distress which psychological research has shown children often experience when brought up by same-gender parents.”

The initiative came in the light of France having passed a bill to legalise equal marriage on 18 May, which President Putin said he was happy to consider changing agreements to block gay couples from adopting Russian orphans.

The proposed bill has previously caused outrage among the LGBT community and human rights supporters. Some called for the jailing of one of the bill’s sponsors, Yelena Mizulina.

The new law also introduces the notion of family monitoring, which will affect all families, including children under guardianship and adopted children.

It regulates the interaction between child protection services and the local authorities. Child protection services will be required to look into the child’s living conditions, identify whether the child is deprived of care and submit a report within three days.

• Nov 29 2023

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