Apple could face three month ban in Russia over gay emojis

Russian police have launched an investigation into whether Apple's gay emojis are a violation of the country's strict "homosexual propaganda" law.

The emojis were released earlier this year as part of Apple's iOS update 8.3 and include images of same-sex parents with their children, two men holding hands and a lesbian couple kissing.

The police inquiry was launched in Russia's Kirov region after Orthodox activist and lawyer Yaroslav Mikhailov filed a complaint that the emojis violated the controversial law, Pink News reports.

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Homosexuality is not officially a crime in Russia, but "gay propaganda" legislation introduced in 2013 bans the promotion or display of homosexuality in front of minors.

If found guilty, the technology giant faces a fine of up to 1 million rubles (£10,000) and a three month suspension across the country, the Daily Telegraph reports.

This isn't the first time Apple has come under fire from the Russian government. Last year Vitaly Milonov, the architect of the propaganda law, called for Apple CEO Tim Cook to be banned from entering the country after he came out as gay.

Earlier this year, another tech giant was the target of Milonov's anti-gay rhetoric. The politician called for the country's media watchdog to block Facebook over its rainbow flag tool.

Homophobia is rife in Russia, with a recent survey revealing that 37 per cent of Russians think of homosexuality as a disease that needs to be cured, according to the Moscow Times. Human rights groups warn that LGBT people are routinely prosecuted under Milonov's legislation.