Wow, as of the most recent count, over 38,000 electronic signatures have been added to a petition asking the Obama administration to punish members of the Russian Duma who voted to end the adoption of Russian children by American families. The recent “Magnitsky Act” passed by the US Congress and signed into law takes measures to punish Russian officials involved in the alleged torture and murder of Russian Hermitage whistleblower Sergei Magnitsky.
Russian President Vladimir Putin reacted immediately and his party United Russia hastily pushed thru a bill in the Russian Duma (Parliament) to strip the rights of Russian orphans to be adopted by American families as a response to the American Magnitsky Act. An official treaty between the two countries allows American families to adopt Russian orphans.
Only American citizens can initiate a petition but anyone around the world can sign an existing petition and members of the Russian opposition are using social media to promote the petition with the appropriate links.
For Russian readers:
Петиция в защиту российских сирот и включения в “список Магницкого” тех депутатов Госдумы, которые подписали #законподлецов, была создана на сайте проекта “We the People” 21 декабря, а 22 декабря попала в открытый доступ после того, как набрала необходимые для этого 150 голосов. Создать петицию может любой резидент Соединенных Штатов, но для подписания петиции не нужно быть гражданином США, достаточно регистрации на сайте Белого дома. Депутаты-изверги испуганны стремительным ростом количества подписавших петицию.
(From a Russian opposition activist)
