The Council supported strengthening responsibility for child pornography and decriminalization of adult content

The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine supported in the first reading draft law No. 15294, which provides for increased criminal liability for crimes related to child pornography and sexual exploitation of minors. At the same time, the document proposes to decriminalize the creation and distribution of pornographic content with the participation of adults.

231 MPs voted for the relevant draft law, MP Yaroslav Zheleznyak reported.

The legislative initiative provides for amendments to Articles 301–303 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine and should distinguish between liability for content for adults and crimes related to the sexual exploitation of children.

Up to 15 years of imprisonment are proposed for crimes against children

The draft law provides for a significant increase in criminal liability for sexual crimes against minors and young people.

The maximum penalty for certain offenses can be up to 15 years of imprisonment.

In particular, it is proposed to strengthen the responsibility for the sale or distribution of pornographic products, images or computer programs among children.

Tougher sanctions are also provided for gaining access, purchasing, storing, importing, transporting, manufacturing and distributing child pornography.

Separately, it is about holding sexual activities with the participation of children, creating or maintaining places of prostitution involving minors, pimping, pimping and involving children in prostitution.

Content for adults is proposed to be decriminalized

At the same time, the bill provides for the abolition of criminal liability for the import, storage, manufacturing, transporting, selling and distributing pornographic content for adults.

The authors of the legislative initiative note that in many countries, the creation and distribution of such content among adults at the household level is not considered a socially dangerous act.

At the same time, crimes related to the production and distribution of pornography involving children or minors should remain serious criminal offenses with severe punishment.

According to the authors of the document, amendments to the Criminal Code should correspond to the modern development of social relations and primarily focus on protecting the rights of children from sexual exploitation.

Currently, draft law No. 15294 is being prepared for consideration by the Verkhovna Rada in the second reading.