Russia’s upper house of parliament approved two laws on Wednesday that will prohibit the visibility of LGBTQ+ people in media and ban citizens of countries that allow gender transitioning from adopting Russian children.

The first law amends Article 6.21 of the Code of Administrative Offences of the Russian Federation to prohibit “propaganda of non-traditional sexual relations and (or) preferences or gender reassignment.” While Article 29(1) of the Constitution of Russia guarantees freedom of speech and press, the law will amend Articles 10.6 and 15.1 of Federal Law No. 149, to prohibit the promotion of not having children on the internet, in media and advertising.

The law will impose fines of up to 400,000 rubles for individuals, fines of up to 800,000 rubles for officials and up to 5M rubles for legal entities on violators. Foreigners will face similar sanctions as Russian citizens but can be deported from Russia or arrested for up to 15 days.

The law on the adoption of Russian children will effectively restrict the adoption of Russian children to the roughly dozen countries that ban gender transitioning.

The approval of these laws marks continuing suppression of LGBTQ+ rights. Previously, the Russian Supreme Court ruled the LGBTQ+ movement was “extremist”. Russia also banned gender affirming surgery in 2023.

After its official publication, the laws will take effect in ten days.

Russia faces a low birth rate, aging population and a decline in population has been heightened by the invasion of Ukraine. The measures are intended to increase the country’s birth rate and restrict the cultural influence of the West.