TODAY: Nationwide ban on ‘gay propaganda’ passes, anti-blasphemy law passes; gay rights protesters arrested and beaten by counter-protesters in Moscow; Putin slams U.S. interference during ‘soft’ Russia Today interview; Moscow mayor campaigns begin; police to patrol Russia Day; Foreign Ministry extends asylum application to Snowden.

The State Duma yesterday unanimously (436-0) passed a law that bans ‘gay propaganda’ on a nationwide scale.  More than 20 gay rights activists were detained outside of the parliament during the vote for enacting a ‘kissing protest’, after being spat on and pelted with eggs by Orthodox and anti-gay protesters.  RFE/RL has photos of the clashes, and the BBC has some upsetting video of protesters left by police to fend for themselves against attacks after the demonstration.  The same afternoon, the Duma also passed a law that criminalises blasphemy, allowing jail sentences of up to twelve months for ‘offending religious feelings’, prompting Amnesty International to mark yesterday as a ‘dark day’ for Russia’s freedom of expression, and slam the government for ‘pandering to the most reactionary elements of society’.  During an interview with Russia Today, President Vladimir Putin accused U.S. diplomats of interfering in Russian politics by ‘actively cooperating [with Russia’s opposition] and support[ing] them’.  The Independent criticises the platform from which Putin made these statements, noting that ‘foreign journalists were invited to observe the interview with Mr Putin, but were not allowed to ask their own questions’.  Putin also defended the right of the special services to wiretap ‘within the framework of the law’.