Woolwich attack: Terror suspects 'known to security services'
The document bans entry to Russia by US nationals who have been found in violation of human rights and freedoms.
It also puts an end to US adoptions of Russian orphans and outlaws organizations dealing with the selection and handover of Russian children to their adoptive parents in the United States.
Voice of Russia, TASS
US adoptions ‘often unhappy’ - Moscow
Moscow has responded to an anti-Russian propaganda offensive started in the United States after President Vladimir Putin enacted a ban of US adoption of Russian orphans.
In a statement issued by the Russian Foreign Ministry Friday, it quoted the American NGO ‘The American Society on Abuse of Children’ as saying that one in four US adoptions turns out to be unhappy, and the American NGO ‘Childhelp’, as saying that child abuse claims on average 5 lives in the US each day.
It also calls attention to the fact that the US, together with Somalia and South Sudan, has never signed the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.
Voice of Russia, Mid.Ru
Putin signs Dima Yakovlev bill into law
Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed into law the Dima Yakovlev bill, which has come in response to America’s Magnitsky Act, the Kremlin said Friday.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed the “Dima Yakovlev bill” into law.
The bill has been recently approved by both houses of the Russian Parliament in response to the US-adopted “Magnitsky Act”, which slaps sanctions on some Russians, whom Washington believes are guilty of human rights violations.
The “Dima Yakovlev law” has been named in memory of a Russian boy who died in the United States due to gross negligence of his foster father.
Visa and financial sanctions will be imposed on Americans who have violated the rights and freedoms of Russians.
Under one provision of the law, US citizens are banned from adopting Russian children. The law will take effect on January 1.
Voice of Russia, TASS, RIA
Putin vows to sign Dima Yakovlev bill, decree on orphan aid into law
Russian President Vladimir Putin has said he will sign into law the Dima Yakovlev bill together with a decree on aid to Russian orphans.
“I’m not only going to sign the [Dima Yakovlev] law you’ve just mentioned, I’m going to adopt the decree granting support to orphans, children without parental care and especially those kids who have health problems,” the Russian president said at a State Council session Thursday.
Mr. Putin added lawmakers still needed to perfect child care legislation.
The Dima Yakovlev bill named after a Russian boy who died in the US due to negligence of his adoptive father imposes sanctions on US abusers of Russians’ rights. It also bans US adoptions of Russian kids.
The bill is a response to the US-adopted Magnitsky list and has already been passed by both chambers of Russia’s parliament.
If the law is signed it will enter into force on January 1, 2013.
Voice of Russia, Reuters, Interfax
US regrets Russian adoption ban bill approved by lawmakers
The United States said Wednesday that it regrets Russian lawmakers’ approval of a bill that would ban US adoptions of Russian children, saying the legislation would deny many young people a childhood outside state custody.
Russia’s upper house of parliament on Wednesday unanimously voted in favor of the legislation, which is part of Russia’s legal retaliation to the US Magnitsky Act. The newly minted US law denies visas to Russian officials deemed by Washington to be complicit in human rights abuses and freezes their US assets.
The bill, already passed by Russia’s lower house of parliament, will be sent to Russian President Vladimir Putin for consideration. Putin has indicated that he supports the adoption ban, though he has the option to veto the bill as well.
US State Department spokesman Patrick Ventrell said Wednesday that US families have given homes to more than 60,000 Russian children over the past 20 years. “The bill passed by Russia’s parliament would prevent many children from enjoying this opportunity,” Ventrell said.
If Putin signs the bill, it will become law on Jan. 1, halting the adoption of 46 Russian children by US families whose cases are currently being processed, said Pavel Astakhov on Wednesday, Russia’s ombudsman for child rights.
The adoption ban bill headed for Putin’s desk is named after a two-year-old Russian boy, Dima Yakovlev (Chase Harrison), who died in 2008 after being left in a car by his adoptive US father. The father was later acquitted of manslaughter.
Russian officials have repeatedly expressed concern about the safety of Russian children adopted by US parents, and they have cited 19 cases in which Russian children have died at the hands of their adoptive American parents.
