Kyrgyzstan Parliament Passes Anti-Gay 'Propaganda' Law

Despite criticism from the U.S., lawmakers in Kyrgyzstan have overwhelmingly voted Wednesday to pass a bill that bans all "gay propaganda,"Reuters reports.

The bill was passed on its first reading by a 79-7 vote even though the measure has been criticized by human rights groups that call the bill anti-gay as it could allow police to take action against the LGBT community in Kyrgyzstan.

The measure has to be approved on three readings and be signed into law by the country's president, Almazbek Atambayev.

"We supported this bill, because it reflects the hopes and expectations of our voters willing to protect the traditional family," Kurmanbek Dykanbayev, one of the initiators of the bill, told Reuters. "And from now on, there will be no possibility to arrange gay clubs, gay cafes or to hold gay rallies."

The measure calls for fines or prison time of up to one year for those who violate the law by "forming a positive attitude to untraditional sexual relations" among minors or via mass media.

Dykanbayev told Reuters that the penalties could be made stricter in the next two readings.

The measure mirrors Russia's highly controversial "gay propaganda" bill that was signed into law by President Vladimir Putin in June 2013.

The vote comes shortly after the U.S. condemned Kyrgyzstan over the measure, with U.S. embassy saying that the anti-gay bill will hurt the country.

Officials called on the Kyrgyzstan parliament to "oppose legislation that would criminalize expression of identity or limit civil society," with Human Rights First urging President Barack Obama to publicly condemn the legislation and press the government to stop passage of "this blatantly homophobic legislation."

"No one should be silence or imprisoned because of who they are or whom they love," wrote the U.S. embassy in Kyrgyzstan. "Laws that discriminate against one group of people threaten the fundamental rights of all people."

It should be noted Russia is a close ally with Kyrgyzstan with Russia providing the country with financial assistance and keeping a military airbase in the country, Reuters reports.