Support The Moscow Times!

Russia’s Mordovia Becomes First Region to Outlaw ‘Coercion’ Into Abortion

An operating room of a hospital’s department of gynecology. Alexander Ryumin / TASS

Updated to reflect that the final version of the legislation does not introduce fines for abortion “propaganda,” as was previously reported.

Russia's republic of Mordovia has become the country’s first region to outlaw the act of “coercing” women into undergoing abortion, independent media reported.

The regional-level law passed Thursday potentially sets the stage for similar laws across the country.

According to information cited by the Mediazona news website, the misdemeanor crime of "coercion" into abortion encompasses actions that involve compelling women to undergo abortions “through persuasion, offers, bribery, deceit, or by imposing other demands.” 

The law, according to Mediazona, will not affect medics required to inform certain patients of the health risks they face if they become pregnant. 

“The whole world is experiencing a demographic decline right now … Russia opened this Pandora’s box with Lenin’s 1920 decree legalizing abortion,” the state-run news outlet Rossiyskaya Gazeta cited Natalya Moskvitina, the law’s author and head of the Women for Life foundation, as saying.  

“Today our country is a flagship of traditional family values,” she added. 

The original version of the law published on the republic of Mordovia's website had also introduced fines for abortion “propaganda,” which included activities that “promote [abortion] as a societal norm,” “foster a negative view on pregnancy and childbirth,” convey messages about the “safety and harmlessness” of abortions, or involve making “derogatory statements” about pregnant women and the human fetus.

The page displaying the law became inaccessible on Thursday afternoon, and Rossiyskaya Gazeta confirmed that the ban on “propaganda” had been excluded from the final version of the bill. 

Set to come into effect in 10 days, the law stipulates administrative fines for individuals found guilty of “coercing” women into having abortions. 

These fines for individuals will range from 5,000 to 10,000 rubles ($53-$107), while legal entities may face fines ranging from 100,000 to 200,000 rubles ($1,070-$2,140).

Foreigners will be ordered to pay double the fine amounts issued to Russian citizens. 

While Russia has historically maintained a liberal abortion policy — with the exception of the Stalin-era ban that lasted until 1955 — the conservative turn among the country's leadership, combined with a push from the Russian Orthodox Church, have raised fears for the future of reproductive rights.

In July, Health Minister Mikhail Murashko publicly backed initiatives that would limit the distribution of abortion-inducing drugs in pharmacies and bar all privately owned medical facilities from administering the abortion procedure.

Sign up for our free weekly newsletter

Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysis and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview
Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy

A Message from The Moscow Times:

Dear readers,

We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."

These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.

We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.

Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.

By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.

Once
Monthly
Annual
Continue
paiment methods
Not ready to support today?
Remind me later.

Read more