Lawmakers in the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine have announced that they have collected enough signatures for a bill that would decriminalize the production of pornography. The lead sponsor of the bill, Yaroslav Zheleznyak, argues that the current laws encourage corruption and that legalizing pornography could help raise funds for the military.
The bill, known as Measure 9623, aims to amend Article 301 of Ukraine’s criminal code which Zheleznyak describes as “nothing short of stupidity.” It is important to note that the proposed amendments would not change anything pertaining to child pornography, human trafficking, or prostitution.
Zheleznyak clarified during an interview with the Kiev Post that they are not advocating for platforms like OnlyFans, but rather for the consumption of adult content in general. He contends that sending someone to prison for up to eight years for sending or receiving explicit content is a remnant of the Soviet era and needs to be modernized.
It is estimated that thousands of Ukrainians are actively employed in the production of pornography. Zheleznyak highlights that in the first half of 2023, the state received over 34 million hryvnia ($920,000) in taxes from sites such as OnlyFans, which is majority-owned by Ukrainian-American businessman Leonid Radvinsky.
Interestingly, a charity called ‘Teronlyfans’ has also become involved in supporting the bill. This charity uses adult content to raise funds for the Ukrainian military. In exchange for donations to the armed forces or refugees, the charity rewards contributors with spicy photos. Anastasia Kuchmenko, an executive at Teronlyfans, explained to the Kiev Post, “This is a good representation of the role of the body in war. As citizens of Ukraine, our primary responsibility is to provide our soldiers with everything they need.” However, Kuchmenko acknowledges that they could face legal consequences if the government did not turn a blind eye to their activities.
Zheleznyak further argues that Ukrainian police have more important matters to attend to than investigating adult content producers. He cites statistics indicating that 85,500 man-hours were dedicated to handling pornography cases in 2021. Zheleznyak believes that these resources could be better utilized elsewhere. His proposed amendments also highlight the fact that over 700,000 people received court summons in 2022 for charges related to Article 301.
Despite the support the bill has received, there are some Ukrainians who express their concerns. A comment on Zheleznyak’s Telegram channel described pornography as worse than alcoholism, while another comment linked the advocacy for the legalization of pornography to the legalization of LGBT rights, predicting that it could lead to societal problems and the degradation of the nation.
It is worth mentioning that Zheleznyak’s party, Golos, had previously proposed legalizing same-sex civil partnerships in March. With 20 seats in the 450-member legislature, Golos is playing an active role in promoting social and legal reforms.
The proposal already has sufficient co-sponsorships to proceed to a vote. However, critics and supporters will continue to engage in a debate as the bill advances through the legislative process.
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