24 Andrew Higgins, In Expanding Russian Influence,
Faith Combines With Firepower The New York Times, Sept. 13, 2016.
107
Gleb Bryanski, Russian Patriarch Calls Putin Era Miracle Of God ’’
Reuters, Feb. 8,
2012. US. Department of State,
International Religious Freedom Report for 2012, Russia, at 9.
Ellen Barry, ‘‘Russia’s History Should Guide Its Future, Putin Says
The New York Times, Dec. 12, 2012.
Carl Schreck, Holy Slight How Russia Prosecutes For Insulting Religious Feelings ’’
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Aug. 15, 2017. Lucian Kim, Russian President Signs Law to Decriminalize Domestic Violence
National Public Radio, Feb. 16, 2017. US. Department of State,
Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2001, Russia. some Orthodox actors in places like Moldova and Montenegro to vigorously oppose integration with the West.
106
The Kremlin’s cultivation of the Russian Orthodox Church intensified following the massive 2011-12
street protests opposing Putin’s return to the presidency. Patriarch Kirill, who assumed leadership of the Russian Orthodox Church in 2009, endorsed
Putin’s long rule as a miracle of God on February 8, 2012, weeks before the presidential election. He praised Putin for correcting the crooked twist of Russia’s tumultuous democratic transition in the sand derided Putin’s opponents as materialistic and a threat to Russia.
107
Eleven days later, members of the rock group Pussy
Riot performed a protest song, Virgin Mary, Redeem Us of Putin in Moscow’s Cathedral of Christ the Savior. Ina high-profile and widely criticized prosecution, three Pussy Riot members were later sentenced to two years imprisonment for hooliganism motivated by religious hatred.’’
108
In a December 2012 speech, Putin invoked traditional and spiritual values as the antidote to Russian decline and criticized foreign influences, defining Russia’s democracy as the power of the Russian people with their traditions and absolutely not the realization of standards imposed onus from outside.’’
109
And in January 2013, Putin signed a law criminalizing insulting religious believers feelings which enabled fines and prison time of up to three years.
110
The Kremlin’s fueling of culture wars has also provided context for the passage of laws criminalizing gay propaganda and decriminalizing first instances of domestic violence.
111
The effects of these laws on the security of LGBT persons and women in Russia is discussed in more detail in Appendix G. CONTROLLING
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