The founder of project “Children-404” for LGBT teenagers is fined for second time under law against “homosexual propaganda”

Elena Klimova, the founder of project “Children-404” for LGBT teenagers, was fined under the law against “homosexual propaganda.”  The Court of Nizhnij Tagil sentenced her to pay 50 thousand rubles for the second time in six months, reports NEWSru.com[1]

In January 2015 Elena Klimova was initially fined the above amount, but in March a higher court overturned the decision. The case was then referred again to the magistrate's court for reconsideration, only this time with a different judge.

Court releases woman convicted of the murder of her abusive husband

Muscovite Tatiana Kulakova was sentenced to four years in a penal colony for the murder of her husband who tried to kill her in her flat. There were two young children with her (one was in a pram). The day before her husband had been released from a police office where he had been detained for domestic violence for one night.

For this crime Kulakova was sentenced under the Criminal Code for "deliberate infliction of grievous bodily harm resulting in death”. Later, due to the efforts of civil activists, the court reduced her offence to "Deliberate causing of serious harm to health, committed in excess of the necessary amount required for defence" and she was sentenced to 11 months in a penal colony. Finally she was released early as the result of an amnesty.[2]

69 countries confirm their participation in the Eurasian Women's Forum in St. Petersburg

Representatives from 69 countries have confirmed their participation in the Eurasian Women’s Forum in St. Petersburg in September 2015, reports Parliament Newspaper[3].

The forum is organized by the Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation and the Interparliamentary Assembly of States - members of the Commonwealth of Independent States.

The organizing committee has sent out more than 500 invitations to representatives from different countries, and therefore the number of foreign participants should increase further.

State Duma proposes the penalization of brothel clientele

Depending on marital status there could be a fine from one point five to two thousand rubles for unmarried individuals and a fine of five thousand rubles or up to forty hours community service for those who are married[1], reports RIA News.

List of issues in relation to the eighth periodic report of the Russian Federation

The Russian Federation is a member of CEDAW – the main document approving women’s rights as human rights. The Russian Government must pass reports to the CEDAW Committee every four years.

The Russian Government presented the List of issues in relation to the eighth periodic report of the Russian Federation to the CEDAW Committee. The Report will be considered in November 2015, reports the website of the Consortium of Women’s Nongovernmental Associations.[2]

See more at: http://tbinternet.ohchr.org/Treaties/CEDAW/Shared%20Documents/RUS/CEDAW_C_RUS_Q_8_Add-1_20572_R.pdf

Ella Polyakova, head of human rights organisation Soldiers’ Mothers, wins the Hessian Peace Prize

Ella Polyakova, head of the human rights organisation “Soldiers’ Mothers” has won the Hessian Peace Prize, reports the “Soldiers’ Mothers” website[3].

The Hessian Peace Prize was established in 1993 and is awarded by the German region of Hessen to fighters for the cause of peace and understanding between peoples.

Russian statistics service: 

The Russian statistics service has issued a report on the reduction in the number of marriages and divorces during the first five months of 2015, reports the website for the newspaper “Izvestia””[1].

The number of marriages has fallen by 9 percent and the statistic for divorces is 17.

According to Tatyana Gurko, a sociologist from the Russian Academy of Science, this trend doesn’t indicate a crisis in the institution of marriage, but rather suggests that the frequency of marriage is dependent on economic factors.

The Ministry of Healthcare will check the conditions of detained mothers with children in prisons

The Government of the Russian Federation has charged the Ministry of Healthcare with checking and looking after the condition of detained mothers with children in detention, reports RIA News.[2]

For a period of two months the Ministry will regulate the conditions in which pregnant woman and mothers with children are detained. There are currently 667 children living in detention centers connected to prisons. 310 are under one year old.

Members of the Communist faction of the State Duma propose more paid holidays for people who have children

Russian citizens with children could soon have longer paid holidays than those without, reports the newspaper Izvestia [3].

Members of the Communist faction of the State Duma are preparing the relevant amendments to the Labour Code. Communists are expecting criticism by employers worried about the material costs.

Prime Minister of India: BRICS must focus on the human rights of women

Ufa, Russia: BRICS members must focus their attention on developing the human rights of women, the Prime Minister of India Mr. Narendra Modi said in a meeting of BRICS leaders, reports RIA News.[1]

BRICS countries must develop women’s rights and opportunities in BRICS and all developing countries, said Mr. Modi.

BRICS is made up of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.

UN achieved reduction of poverty and inequality in the world

In Russia and Ukraine there is increasing child poverty. According to UN data 32% of Ukrainians are living below the poverty line in 2015. According to official statistics the percentage of poverty-stricken Russians raised from 13.8 to 15.9 reports “Novaya Gazeta” referring to the report by the General Secretary of the UN Ban Ki-Moon entitled “The Millennium Development Goals Report 2015”[2].

Expert from the Higher School of Economics Lilia Ovcharova says that the most worrying tendency is the rising poverty levels of children. The risk of poverty among children is higher than that for adults. According to Rosstat (the Russian statistic Service) in the first quarter of 2015 there were 16% of Russians living below the poverty line, but 24% of Russian children.