Federation Council bans adoptions by foreign gay couplesThe Federation Council, Russia's upper house of parliament, on Wednesday approved a bill banning foreign same-sex couples from adopting Russian children, already adopted by the State Duma, Russia's lower house of parliament.17:08 26.06.2013
Russian Duma on its way to approving gay adoption banRussia's lower house of parliament has approved amendments in the second reading to a government bill which prohibit the adoption of Russian children by same-sex couples.12:54 18.06.2013
Lower house bans single foreigners from adopting Russian childrenRussian legislators have drafted amendments to the Family Code, banning the adoption of Russian children by gay couples, as well as by single individuals living in countries where same-sex marriages are legal.12:12 13.06.2013
State Duma to ban adoptions by foreign gay couplesThe State Duma may pass changes to legislation banning foreign same-sex couples from adopting Russian children, Speaker Sergei Naryshkin told journalists on Monday.15:48 10.06.2013
Putin may sign law banning adoption by same-sex couplesPresident Vladimir Putin said on Tuesday that he would sign a law banning adoptions by same-sex couples if parliament backed the initiative.17:18 04.06.2013
Dima Yakovlev law to stay in place - ombudsmanThe Dima Yakovlev law will be neither reviewed nor canceled, Children's Rights Commissioner Pavel Astakhov told journalists on Friday. The Dima Yakovlev law prohibiting US nationals from adopting Russian children was signed by President Vladimir Putin in late 2012 and came into force in January 2013.15:52 31.05.2013
Ombudsman proposes halting French adoptions of Russian childrenA moratorium on the adoption of Russian children by French couples should be put in place until all issues pertaining to the legal recognition of gay marriage in France are resolved, says Russian Children's Rights Commissioner Pavel Astakhov.15:24 30.05.2013
Number of foreign adoption applicants in Russia fallsThe number of applications from foreigners willing to adopt children which were ruled upon by Russian courts in 2012 is 21% lower than in 2011, according to the Russian Supreme Court statistics.14:36 23.05.2013
Russian orphan convicted of shoplifting after fleeing USAlexander Abnosov (Joshua Alexander Salotti), a Russian orphan adopted by American parents who made international headlines recently when he chose to return to his native country as a teenager amid allegations of parental mistreatment has been convicted of shoplifting and sentenced to 200 hours of punitive labor.15:22 07.05.2013
Irish parliament backs down from sanctioning Russian officialsAn Irish parliamentary committee has backed down from sanctioning Russian officials implicated in rights abuse following a warning that it could jeopardize a bilateral adoption agreement.14:11 02.05.2013
Putin: Russia may amend adoption treaties with countries that allow gay marriageRussia may introduce amendments to adoption agreements with countries that have legalized same-sex marriage, President Vladimir Putin said at a meeting with MPs.17:49 26.04.2013
US authorities may shut down Ranch for Kids - AstakhovUS regulators may close the Ranch for Kids program that accommodates several Russian orphans rejected by their adoptive families, Children's Rights Ombudsman Pavel Astakhov's press office told RIA Novosti on Wednesday.15:24 24.04.2013
Healthcare Ministry allows HIV-positive adults to adopt childrenRussia's Healthcare Ministry is prepared to allow individuals who are HIV or hepatitis positive to adopt children.11:32 23.04.2013
ECHR holds Russia violated adoptive parents' privacy, family rightsThe European Court of Human Rights held Thursday that Russia failed in many capacities to protect the private and family rights of a couple embroiled in a very public child abuse scandal.14:56 18.04.2013
Moscow, Washington agree regular dialogue on adoptionsRussia and the United States have agreed to establish regular dialogue on the protection of rights of Russian children adopted by US families, says Konstantin Dolgov, the human rights ombudsman for the Russian Foreign Ministry.09:46 18.04.2013
No increase in Ukrainian adoption following Dima Yakovlev billThe number of children adopted by foreign citizens in Ukraine has not increased since the Dima Yakovlev Law took effect, Ukrainian Ombudsman for Children's Rights Yury Pavlenko said at a news conference on Monday.19:22 08.04.2013
Texas parents agree to annul 2003 adoption of Russian children - AstakhovChildren's Rights Commissioner Pavel Astakhov has confirmed the media reports that Michael and Penny Deckert have given up their parental rights to their three adopted Russian Children.13:47 04.04.2013
Conclusion over Russian adoptee's death inconsistent - Foreign MinistryRussia's Foreign Ministry said there were inconsistencies in the investigation documents on Maxim Kuzmin death. On March 1, the Texas authorities announced that based on the autopsy results the boy's death was not criminal.12:07 04.04.2013
Texas investigates sexual abuse claim by adopted Russian girlhe Texan authorities are investigating allegations that a 16-year-old Russian girl was sexually abused by her adoptive American father. The girl's adoptive mother, who denies the allegation, told RIA Novosti in a telephone interview that her daughter had contacted local social workers with claims that she had been raped.14:42 03.04.2013
Abuse claims of adopted Russian teen 'very hurtful' - US parentsThe American parents of an adopted Russian teenager, who returned to his country of birth after claiming his adoptive parents mistreated him, say his behavior changed last year when he visited relatives in Russia and was introduced to drugs and alcohol, things that were forbidden in his Christian American home.09:59 02.04.2013