MOSCOW, June 4 (RIA Novosti) - The lower chamber of the Russian Parliament, the State Duma, may approve an amendment banning adoption of Russian children by foreign same-sex couples before summer recess begins on July 6, a committee chief said on Tuesday.
Yelena Mizulina, a member of the A Just Russia party who heads the State Duma’s Committee on Family, Women and Children, said the committee discussed the amendment on Tuesday.
The amendment to the Russian Family Code, if passed, will ban the adoption of Russian children by foreign citizens, persons without citizenship and Russian nationals permanently living abroad, who are in a same-sex marriage.
"In addition, the ban will also be applicable to single foreigners from countries where same-sex marriages are permitted by the law, as well as stateless persons and Russians who permanently reside in these countries,” Mizulina told RIA Novosti.
She said the amendment will be considered as part of a second reading into the government-proposed bill on issues of orphans. The second reading is due within the next two weeks and the third reading is expected in early July.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Tuesday he will sign a law banning adoption of Russian children by foreign same-sex couples if parliament passes such legislation.
