Russia Wants to Classify the Rejection of “Traditional Values” as Extremism

State Duma deputy from the A Just Russia faction and chairman of the Cultural Front of Russia movement Nikolai Burlyaev has introduced a new bill in the lower house of parliament. The initiative proposes amending Federal Law No. 114-FZ “On Countering Extremist Activity” to establish an official ban on the public justification, promotion, and dissemination of any destructive ideologies, doctrines, cults, and movements directed against Russia’s traditional spiritual and moral values and traditional religions.

How do the authors justify the need for the new ban?

In the explanatory note, the author of the initiative states that the absence of an explicit statutory prohibition creates “existential” risks for the country. According to Burlyaev, the current law enforcement system only acts after the fact: once a particular organization has been declared extremist, its members simply change the name, rebrand the movement, and continue operating under a new brand. The bill is intended to close this loophole by outlawing not only specific legal entities or groups, but also the dissemination of “destructive pseudo-values” itself. Burlyaev has previously called repeatedly for the “nationalization of culture” and the spiritual “healing of the people from the Western infection.”

What exactly will be considered a “destructive ideology”?

The official announcement of the bill does not provide a specific list of prohibited doctrines or specify the types of liability for disseminating them. However, the concept of “destructive ideology” has already been formally enshrined in Presidential Decree No. 809. According to this document, it refers to a system of ideas that is alien and destructive to society, including the cultivation of selfishness and immorality; the rejection of patriotism, service to the Fatherland, strong families, marriage, and large families; as well as the denial of Russia’s positive contribution to world history and culture.

What are the legal risks, and why is the bill being criticized?

The bill has met with strong opposition even among members of parliament. State Duma deputy Svetlana Bessarab firmly rejected the initiative, pointing to the vagueness of its conceptual framework and the high risk of arbitrary interpretation of its provisions in practice. She noted that ideas deemed “contrary to values” could include both ordinary statements by citizens (for example, about equality between husband and wife within the family) and radical remarks by certain religious figures about the subordinate role of women.

“Enough tightening the screws already… Such topics should be grounds for discussion, not for bans and imprisonment,” Bessarab emphasized.

Lawyers and legal scholars also warn that introducing liability for “denying” or “justifying content opposed to values” directly conflicts with Article 29 of the Russian Constitution, which guarantees freedom of thought and speech. Moreover, for years Russian judicial practice in extremism cases has already faced the systemic problem of uncertainty surrounding such basic concepts as “hatred and hostility” or “membership in a social group.”

What does LGBT have to do with this?

The issue of “non-traditional sexual relations” was incorporated into the official framework for combating “destructive ideologies” from the outset. Presidential Decree No. 809 explicitly identifies the promotion of non-traditional sexual relations as one of the key manifestations of destructive ideology undermining the institutions of family and marriage. However, while the authorities previously adopted targeted legislative restrictions (including laws banning “LGBT propaganda” in 2013 and 2022), Burlyaev’s new bill proposes creating a universal mechanism through anti-extremism legislation. This would make it possible to bring criminal and administrative charges against any groups, media outlets, and public statements related to LGBT or gender issues, automatically equating them with extremist activity.

• Since December 2022, Russia has imposed a total ban on disseminating information that the authorities consider to “promote non-traditional sexual relations,” gender transition, or pedophilia (applying to citizens of all ages, not only minors).
• In November 2023, acting on a lawsuit filed by the Ministry of Justice, the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation designated the nonexistent “international LGBT public movement” as an extremist organization.
• Displaying LGBT symbols is punishable by administrative fines or arrest, while organizing, participating in, or financing organizations designated as extremist can result in actual prison sentences of up to 10–12 years under anti-extremism statutes.