The daughter of President Vladimir Putin’s spokesman has stirred controversy on social media for not sharing some of her followers’ concerns about homosexuality being punished by the death penalty in certain Muslim countries.
Dmitry Peskov’s daughter Yelizaveta Peskova marked the end of Ramadan with an Instagram post Tuesday. There, one user asked if she was concerned “by the fact that homosexuality is punished by death in Islam,” according to a screenshot of an Instagram story shared by Pyotr Verzilov, a member of the anti-Kremlin group Pussy Riot.
“There are laws of nature, and these things [homosexuality] are haram for me,” Peskova replied, using a term denoting a forbidden act or item in Islam, according to the screenshot.
“It’s a good thing that Liza’s dad has money and Liza will never have to make a career in the West, because no company will hire a person with these views,” Verzilov remarked.
Strict Islamic law known as Sharia permits the death penalty for adultery and homosexuality.
Pop culture websites have inferred that Peskova may be dating a Muslim based on past Instagram posts of trips to Russia’s North Caucasus republic of Chechnya.
Update: Peskova apologized for her comments on Thursday evening, the Znak.com news website reported.
“I apologize for today's incident. I was asked a question to which I answered without thinking. Of course, no one can condone or commit violence against these people,” Peskova was quoted as saying on her Instagram.
