Russian MP who wants gays to be ‘sterilised’ and kept in shelters like cats slapped down by human rights council
Vitaly Milonov. (TASS via Getty/ Sergei Petrov)
Anti-LGBT+ Russian MP Vitaly Milonov has been reprimanded by the country’s Human Rights Council after he called for gays to be “sterilised” and kept in shelters like cats.
Milonov, a notoriously homophobic member of the State Duma and the original proponent of Russia’s so-called “gay propaganda law“, made the comments while responding on TikTok to a question from a journalist, according to RT.
In the clip, which has now been removed, Milonov suggested creating shelters to confine gay people, but said it would be “humane” to house and feed them.
He said: “We have to be humane. How do we fight stray cats? We sterilize them. And gays should be sterilised, too.”
Milonov added that gay people were “lowest stage of development of the animal world”, and “of course” could not be compared to “cute cats”.
In response, Valery Fadeev, head of Russia’s Human Rights Council, gave Milonov a warning.
He said: “It seems to me that, just as in Soviet times, the party committee should deal with him. It is not right if an MP has not read the Russian constitution.
“You can have a negative opinion towards gays and the LGBT+ community, but a politician should watch his language and should not publicly call for breaking laws.”
Vitaly Milonov once said gay athletes should be arrested when visiting Russia for the Olympics
In 2013, Vitaly Milonov called for any gay athletes visiting Russia for the Sochi Winter Olympics to be arrested for “promoting” homosexuality.
He said at the time: “If a law has been approved by the federal legislature and signed by the president, then the government has no right to suspend it. It doesn’t have the authority.”
In a 2019 episode of Reggie Yates’ Extreme, titled “Russia – Gay and Under Attack”, Milonov was asked whether he thought gay people were dangerous.
He responded: “A piece of s**t is not dangerous, but it’s quite unpleasant to see on the streets.
“Homosexuality is disgusting. Homophobia is beautiful and natural.”
