ST. PETERSBURG, RUSSIA – St Petersburg Police officials say that dozens of LGBT people have been prosecuted for engaging in “homosexual propaganda” since the city introduced its ban four months ago. According to St Petersburg Police Chief Sergei Umnov, “Seventythree people have been prosecuted for homosexual propaganda, and one person for pedophile propaganda.”

The law was passed in February by St Petersburg’s city assembly, after the introduction of similar laws in the Russian areas of Ryazan in 2006, and Arkhangelsk in 2011. It calls for punishment of “homosexual propaganda” and “pedophile propaganda” with fines of up to $15,600.