Russia has deemed a call by the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) as foreign “meddling” in the country’s domestic affairs.

The court had ruled that Russia should respect and acknowledge same-sex couples by providing a legal framework for their relationships.

The ruling “contradicts the foundations of Russian rule of law and morality,” Vasily Piskarev, a lawmaker who heads a parliamentary commission dedicated to investigating foreign interference.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov had also said that the court’s request would contradict Russia’s constitution.

Last year, Russia adopted a set of constitutional amendments that emphasized the primacy of Russian law over international norms. It also stipulated that “institution of marriage is a union between a man and a woman.”