Russia's Duma or lower parliament has just passed by a whopping 436-0 landslide vote a legislative bill banning gay propaganda that is aimed to people at under 18 years old. The bill effectively passes on to the upper parliament and to Russian President Vladimir Putin before getting into a full-fledged law.

The bill, which outlaws the "propaganda of non-traditional sexual relations," likewise imposes heavy fines on individuals or organisations, by as much as AU$165 or AU$33,000, respectively, found guilty of violating the law. At the same time, foreigners found promoting gay equality will be arrested and without much fanfare immediately deported.

Propaganda of non-traditional sexual relations, according to the document, would mean propaganda of gay relationships including "spreading information aimed at forming non- traditional sexual behaviour among children, suggesting this behaviour is attractive and making a false statement about the socially equal nature of traditional and non-traditional relationships."

Claiming that Russian laws do not discriminate against gay people in any way, Mr Putin had nonetheless earlier implied he would welcome and even sign a bill banning the adoption of Russian children by foreign gay and same-sex couples. Essentially, once this new bill becomes a law, suggesting homosexuality is a normal life choice would become illegal and a covert underground movement.

Read: Russia's Putin Says No to Child Adoptions by Foreign Gay, Same-Sex Couples

"This new law is symptomatic of Putin's increasing authoritarianism and his crackdown on civil society. It violates the Russian constitution, which guarantees freedom of expression, and the European Convention on Human Rights, which Russian has signed and pledged to uphold. Although the law is ostensibly aimed at prohibiting the dissemination of so-called gay propaganda to young persons under 18, in reality it will criminalise any public advocacy of gay equality, HIV education or welfare provision where a young person could see it," The Independent quoted activist Peter Tatchell.

But Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov earlier said in February that Russia does not have any international or European commitment to "allow propaganda of homosexuality."

"Russia is trying very hard to make discrimination look respectable by calling it 'tradition,' but whatever term is used in the bill, it remains discrimination and a violation of the basic human rights of LGBT people," Graeme Reid, LGBT rights program director at Human Rights Watch, said Tuesday in a statement.

Read: Russia to Impose Stringent Measures Against Gays, Including Fines for Those Propagating Homosexuality and Deportation for Foreigners