Against backdrop of anti-gay St. Petersburg violence, Putin signs vague, draconian antigay bill

St. Petersburg antigay assaults, via Box Turtle Bulletin

Russian President Vladamir Putin, who American billionaire Robert Kraft says stole a $25,000 diamond ring from him, has signed into law an anti-gay bill so draconian and vague that critics say it will almost certainly be used as a catalyst for hate crimes and be used arbitrarily against LGBTs.

The law introduces fines of up to 5,000 rubles ($166) for citizens who disseminate information "directed at forming non-traditional sexual setup" in minors or which may cause a "distorted understanding" that gay and heterosexual relations are "socially equivalent", the publication showed.
Critics have called the bill homophobic and so vaguely defined that it would inevitably be used arbitrarily against gays and stir hate crimes in the country.