Putin signs anti-gay measures into law

Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed into law a measure that stigmatizes gay people.

The measure also bans giving children any information about homosexuality.

The lower house unanimously passed the Kremlin-backed bill on June 11 and the upper house approved it last week, the New York Daily News reports.

Hefty fines will now be imposed on those who provide information about the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community to minors or hold gay pride rallies, the report said.

According to the report, the ban on propaganda of sexual relations' is part of an effort to promote traditional Russian values over Western liberalism in Russia.

The Kremlin and the Russian Orthodox Church see the nontraditional sexual relations as corrupting Russian youth and contributing to the protests against Putin's rule.