MOSCOW, February 6 (RAPSI) – The Liberal Democrats have submitted a bill to the State Duma seeking a ban on scenes depicting children committing acts of violence acts on television between 7am and midnight, co-sponsor Yaroslav Nilov told RIA Novosti. 

The proposed ban would cover scenes in which children under the age of 18 commit acts of cruelty or physical/psychological violence against others.

The MPs are worried that such scenes have become common in TV news programs. “Showing scenes of teenagers committing violence on TV encourages psychologically unstable children to commit crimes against others, leading to more injuries, blood and death,” the State Duma's Liberal Democratic deputies said in a statement.

They believe that violence on TV desensitizes teenagers from the pain and suffering of others and encourages them to act aggressively, adding that a focus on violence in the media reports of real crimes fosters aggressive behavior in children and teenagers.

Earlier this week, a bill was introduced to the Russian State Duma seeking to restrict the sale of violent, firearm-heavy videogames, according to an entry on the parliament’s website.

The problem of violent influences on children and teens has reemerged in the aftermath of a shooting at a Moscow school on Monday. The incident left two adults dead, including a police officer.