Vitaly Milonov, the architect of Russia's "gay propaganda" law, is calling for Facebook to be shut down over its rainbow flag tool.
The social media giant launched an app that allows users to superimpose the rainbow flag, a symbol of support for the gay community, over their profile pictures to celebrate the US Supreme Court ruling in favour of same-sex marriage on Friday.
But Milonov argued that the tool is spreading gay "propaganda" and is a "crude violation" of Russian law, according to Pink News.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Although homosexuality is not a crime in Russia, the law Milonov introduced in 2013 bans the promotion or display of homosexuality in front of minors.
"Facebook has no age limits, it is impossible to control how many minors are there," he said. "That is why it would be completely normal to pull the plug on Facebook in Russia."
He has appealed to the country's media watchdog to block the social networking site, and vowed to take the matter up with President Putin if no action is taken.
Milonov has previously compared homosexual relationships to living "with a dog, with a horse, with a sheep, whatever" and called for Apple CEO Tim Cook to be banned from Russia after he spoke publicly about being gay.
Russian gay rights activists have mocked the parliamentarian's latest comments on social media, sharing images of Milonov waving rainbow flags.
But homophobia remains rife in Russia: a recent survey revealed that 37 per cent of Russians think of homosexuality as a disease that needs to be cured, according to the Moscow Times. Human rights groups warn that the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people are routinely prosecuted under Milonov's legislation.
"[The law] advances vague definitions of propaganda that lend themselves to the targeting and ongoing persecution of the country’s LGBT community," says the Council for Global Equality.
-
August 27 editorial cartoonsCartoons Wednesday’s political cartoons include a KKK rebrand, Donald Trump vs. Gavin Newsom, and Ghislaine Maxwell as the new Celebrity Apprentice
-
The mission to demine UkraineThe Explainer An estimated quarter of the nation – an area the size of England – is contaminated with landmines and unexploded shells from the war
-
Can anyone save Jimmy Lai?Today's Big Question 'Britain's shameful inaction' will mean it's partly 'responsible' if Hong Kong businessman dies in prison
-
How cybercriminals are hacking into the heart of the US economySpeed Read Ransomware attacks have become a global epidemic, with more than $18.6bn paid in ransoms in 2020
-
Language-learning apps speak the right lingo for UK subscribersSpeed Read Locked-down Brits turn to online lessons as a new hobby and way to upskill
-
Brexit-hobbled Britain ‘still tech powerhouse of Europe’Speed Read New research shows that UK start-ups have won more funding than France and Germany combined over past year
-
Playing Cupid during Covid: Tinder reveals Britain’s top chat-up lines of the yearSpeed Read Prince Harry, Meghan Markle and Dominic Cummings among most talked-about celebs on the dating app
-
Brits sending one less email a day would cut carbon emissions by 16,000 tonnesSpeed Read UK research suggests unnecessary online chatter increases climate change
-
Reach for the Moon: Nokia and Nasa to build 4G lunar networkSpeed Read Deal is part of the US space agency’s plan to establish human settlements on the lunar surface
-
iPhone 12 launch: what we learned from the Apple ‘Hi, Speed’ eventSpeed Read Tech giant unveils new 5G smartphone line-up
-
Russian agency behind US election meddling ‘created fake left-wing news site’Speed Read Facebook says real reporters were hired by fake editors to write about US corruption
