White House web petition calls for US blacklisting of Russian lawmakers

U.S. President Barack Obama signs H.R. 6156, the Russia and Moldova 

Jackson-Vanik Repeal and Magnitsky Rule of Law Accountability Act, 

in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, December 14, 2012. 

(Reuters/Larry Downing)

Over 32,000 people have signed a petition on the White House website urging the enactment of the Magnitsky Act. This would blacklist a majority of Russia's parliamentarians, who supported a new law banning US citizens from adopting Russian children.

The petition called on the Obama administration to “identify those involved in adopting such legislature responsible under the ‘Magnitsky Act’ and thus included to the relevant list,” arguing that they “breached all imaginable boundaries of humanity, responsibility, or common sense and chose to jeopardize the lives and well-being of thousands of Russian orphans.”

Within nearly 24 hours, the online appeal gathered the number of votes necessary for an official review. Many of the petition's signatories have names that are apparently Russian.

On Friday, the Russian parliament held the third and final reading to pass legislation dubbed the 'Dima Yakovlev bill,' which banned US citizens from adopting Russian children. The law passed with an overwhelming majority: 399 voted in favor, seventeen against and one abstained.

The new law also targets countries believed to be violating the human rights of Russians, and outlaws US-funded nonprofit political organizations that could threaten Russian interests.