**Russian Woman Fined for Promoting Child-Free Lifestyle**
A 29-year-old woman in Russian-occupied Sevastopol was fined 50,000 rubles ($500) for promoting a child-free lifestyle on social media. This is the first recorded fine under Russia‘s “childfree propaganda” law.
**Russia’s Demographic Crisis**
Russia has been facing a demographic crisis. When Vladimir Putin came to power in 1999, Russia’s fertility rate was 1.18 children per woman. It peaked at 1.79 in 2015 but declined to 1.46 in 2024. Experts say this is devastating for the country.
**The Law**
Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a law banning “childfree propaganda” in November last year, equating it to the promotion of non-traditional sexual relations. The woman had been posting misanthropic content on her social media account and was fined after allegedly not removing it when the law came into effect.
**Concerns**
Legal experts have warned that this could set a troubling precedent and potentially lead to fines for other non-criminal expressions, such as women speaking about the challenges of motherhood. The case has raised concerns about freedom of speech in Russian-occupied Crimea.
Read More @ kyivindependent.com