The Parliament in Moscow voiced strong support Wednesday for barring Americans from adopting Russian children, a retaliation against a new U.S. measure imposing penalties on Russian officials that is connected to the death in custody of a Russian lawyer and other human rights violations.
The proposed law, which was overwhelmingly approved in a procedural vote Wednesday, would also place tight restrictions on nongovernment organizations that receive financial support from the United States, banning groups if they engage in political activities considered contrary to "Russia's interests."
Russia was the third-largest source of international adoptions to the U.S. last year. The adoption ban — which would begin Jan. 1 and also sanction U.S. officials whom Moscow deems to have been implicated in the endangerment of Russian adoptees — must still clear several hurdles before it becomes law.