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A new law banning nearly all medical assistance for transgender people in Russia passed its final reading in the State Duma on Friday.
CNN –
Russia’s State Duma, the lower house of parliament, has voted in favor of a new law banning nearly all medical assistance for transgender people, including gender reassignment surgeries, as part of a series of new anti-LGBTQ laws in Russia.
The bill, which had its third and final reading on Friday, bans doctors from performing sex reassignment surgeries except in cases related to the treatment of congenital physiological abnormalities in children. In addition, registry offices are prohibited from amending official documents based on medical certificates of gender reassignment.
Before the law comes into force, it still has to be approved by the Federation Council and signed by President Vladimir Putin.
Changes made in the third reading include excluding people who have undergone a gender reassignment from adoptive parenting or guardianship obligations, and allowing a marriage to be annulled if one or both spouses undergo a gender reassignment and update their civil status documents.
Putin has tightened anti-LGTBQ legislation in recent months as the Kremlin cracks down on freedom of expression and human rights amid war in Ukraine.
These recent legal developments in Russia are expanding restrictions on the LGBTQ community and reflect tightening regulations and scrutiny of transgender rights in the country.
In December 2022, Russia expanded its existing “gay propaganda” law to exercise control over public discussions and narratives about non-heterosexual relationships and identities. The package of amendments signed by Putin provides for tougher penalties for anyone who encourages “non-traditional sexual relationships and/or preferences” and gender transition.
Russia’s first transgender politician, Yulia Alyoshina, has warned of the grave consequences of the proposed transgender law.
“Once the bill goes into effect, the impact will be severe as transgender people will be denied their constitutionally guaranteed right to medical care,” Alyoshina told CNN.
“This bill is not only discriminatory, it is a real genocide against transgender people,” she added.
In October, amid hearings on changes to the law on “LGBTQ propaganda” and passage of the bill in the State Duma at first reading, Alyoshina, who received her new passport in 2020, resigned as regional leader of the Civic Initiative party and voted end her political career.
The recent restrictions appear to be closely linked to ongoing dissent over political and human rights activities in Russia.
It is noteworthy that on the eve of the last reading, Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) announced that it had arrested a transgender activist on suspicion of high treason.
The FSB claimed that the activist, a Russian citizen from the Oryol region, provided financial support to the Armed Forces of Ukraine through a donation to the independent human rights monitoring group OVD-Info.
The Russian state classified OVD-Info as a foreign agent in 2021 under a law that critics say suppresses dissent. The group has continued to document alleged rights abuses inside Russia and expanded its mandate to help anti-war protesters following Russia’s all-out invasion of Ukraine.
Vanya Solovey, a trans rights activist, said it was “no coincidence” that the law was being read in Russia’s parliament amid Moscow’s war against Ukraine.
“Russia’s anti-gender discourse and policies have intensified since the all-out war began. “For months, Putin and other officials have increasingly targeted trans people in their statements,” Solovey, advocacy and program officer for Eastern Europe and Central Asia at trans rights group Transgender Europe, told CNN.
“This anti-trans policy is indeed a policy of terror. It affects not only trans people, but everyone living in Russia.”