The lower house of the Russian parliament passed a law Wednesday that would ban US families from adopting babies from Russia, dpa reported. The State Duma overwhelmingly approved the second reading of thebill 388-15, according to the Echo Moskwy radio station. The third reading, due to take place later this week, is a technicality. The proposed ban is seen as a response to a new US law that penalizes alleged human rights abusers among Russian officials. The bill makes it possible to freeze their bank accounts and restrict their entry to the United States. Human rights activists in Moscow referred to the adoption law as a "disgrace," while multiple religious leaders spoke out against using children as political pawns.
