Russian parliament to vote on bill imposing fines for holding gay pride rallies

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Police officers detain a demonstrator near the State Duma, Russia\'s lower parliament chamber, in Moscow Tuesday, June 11, 2013. A controversial bill banning "homosexual propaganda" is expected to be approved by Russia\'s lower house of parliament for the second and third of three hearings on Tuesday. Poster reads: "For Russia without homosexuals." (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko)

MOSCOW – A dozen activists have been detained in Moscow as they were protesting a bill that stigmatizes the gay community and penalizes dissemination of information about them.

Protesters were detained Tuesday as they attempted to rally outside the Russian State Duma before what is expected to a final vote to the bill banning “homosexual propaganda.”

The Kremlin-backed legislation imposes hefty fines for disseminating information about the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community to minors or holding gay pride rallies. Russia is also considering banning adoptions to citizens of countries that allow same-sex marriage.

Earlier this morning a dozen of anti-gay activists picketed the Duma. One of them held a poster which read: “Lawmakers, protect the people from perverts!”

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