MOSCOW, Russia.— The Russian Parliament is processing a bill that provides for fines of up to 50,000 euros ($55,711.50) for those who make comments in favor of not having children, the newspaper “El País” reported yesterday.
According to the Spanish newspaper, the measure affects all areas of life, from casual conversation to the creation of films and books, and is seen as a serious threat to the Russian feminist movement.
The persecution of what the Kremlin calls the “childfree movement” will involve fines of up to 400,000 rubles for natural persons (about 4,000 euros), 800,000 rubles if they are public employees (8,000 euros), and up to five million rubles (50,000 euros) if they are companies or other legal entities.
In addition, foreigners will be deported.
The cabinet of ministers asked Parliament that the law contemplate only three exceptions: religious, medical reasons or in case of rape.
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The project, explains “El País”, points to an alleged massive and organized movement against children and Russian newspapers cite the existence of some communities on the social network VKontakte, the Russian Facebook, that reach 5,000 subscribers.
“We have begun to consider a bill that will prohibit propaganda of conscious refusal to have children,” announced the president of the Duma, Viacheslav Volodin, through his Telegram channel. “Publications and social networks often disrespect motherhood and paternity, attacking pregnant women and children, as well as members of large families,” he added.
“Everything that interferes with the increase in the birth rate must disappear from our lives,” said the spokesman for the Russian president, Dmitri Peskov.
President Vladimir Putin declared at the beginning of September that his Executive must create the necessary conditions “so that it is once again fashionable to have many children: seven or 10 people in a family.”
Although Putin is about to celebrate a quarter of a century in power, Russia, with 146 million inhabitants, has suffered a demographic decline since the 20th century that the war, the inverted generational pyramid and its internal policies have further aggravated.
Last year 1.3 million people died and 1.26 million children were born, the lowest number since the fall of the USSR, with the exception of 1999 due to the fateful ruble crisis.
In addition, the tightening of policies against foreigners motivated their flight: the number of registered migrants decreased from 8.5 to 6.1 million in the last year.
On the other hand, the State Duma is analyzing in parallel another bill introduced at the end of last year to prohibit abortion in private clinics.
At least 11 regions have already taken this step individually, but the government called for a “significant review” of the reform because it believes it will increase public spending and may increase maternal mortality by resorting to clandestine operations.
In 2007, Putin approved a maternity support program that today disburses 466,617 rubles for the first child (4,600 euros), plus 150,000 rubles (1,460 euros) for the second.— El País
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“Russia’s Chilling Clampdown on Free Speech: The ‘Childfree’ Crackdown”
In a disturbing development that should alarm human rights advocates and freedom of expression advocates worldwide, Russia’s Parliament is pushing forward with a draconian bill that would punish individuals and organizations for promoting or even casually discussing the idea of not having children. This Orwellian measure, aimed at stifling the so-called “childfree movement,” represents a severe threat to Russia’s already embattled feminist movement and free speech in general.
The proposed law would impose hefty fines of up to 50,000 euros (approximately $55,711.50) on those who dare to voice opinions or create content that questions the importance of having children. These fines would apply across various domains, from personal conversations to books and films, effectively casting a chilling pall over artistic expression and intellectual freedom. Moreover, foreigners deemed guilty of “propagating” the childfree ideology would be summarily deported, highlighting the law’s intention to crush any dissenting voices, whether domestic or international.
One cannot help but feel a sense of unease when considering the implications of this legislation. By codifying the mere discussion of family planning choices as a punishable offense, the Russian government is, in effect, criminalizing a fundamental aspect of human autonomy. It’s a tactic eerily reminiscent of totalitarian regimes, where thoughtcrime was a ubiquitous threat.
Proponents of the bill, citing the existence of online communities on Russian social media platforms, point to a supposed “massive and organized movement” against children. However, this reasoning smacks of opportunism and exaggeration, as the numbers cited – around 5,000 subscribers – hardly suggest a groundswell of opposition to traditional family values.
The Kremlin’s logic underlying this bill appears to be twofold: to placate conservative elements of the Russian populace while concurrently intimidating and silencing opponents. The targeting of feminist groups and individuals, in particular, should be seen as a calculated attempt to dismantle the already fragile infrastructure of women’s rights in Russia.
This draconian measure is all the more galling given the glaring exception clause, which would spare only those who invoke religious or medical reasons, or are victims of rape. The presence of such loopholes serves only to underscore the selective application of this law, hinting that those with “approved” motivations for not having children would be spared persecution while those with differing perspectives or lifestyles would be mercilessly punished.
The writing is on the wall: this assault on freedom of expression represents a profound darkening of Russia’s democratic landscape. If this bill is allowed to pass, the consequences for Russia’s civil society, intellectual freedom, and human rights will be dire, setting a chilling precedent for other governments to follow suit.
