The Rada registered a bill on fines for fortune telling, magic, and esotericism

What the new bill proposes

The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine has registered bill No. 15251, which provides for administrative liability for the provision of paid services in the field of fortune telling, extrasensory perception, magic, esotericism and occultism.

The document also concerns advertising, popularization and dissemination of information about such practices.

What services may be banned

The authors of the bill note that this concerns activities related to:

fortune telling on Tarot cards;
runes;
astrology;
numerology;
palmistry;
clairvoyance;
spiritualism;
other methods of predicting the future.
Why do they want to introduce liability

The explanatory note to the document states that such activities can negatively affect a person’s mental state and their ability to make independent decisions.

According to the authors of the initiative, the purpose of the bill is to protect citizens from the possible manipulative influence of occult practices.

What changes are proposed to be made to the legislation

The bill proposes to amend Article 181 of the Code of Ukraine on Administrative Offenses and establish separate administrative liability for the provision of such services on a paid basis.

What fines does the document provide
For the provision of services and advertising

For the provision of paid services in the field of fortune-telling, magic, esotericism, extrasensory perception or occultism, as well as for advertising and popularization of such services, a fine is proposed:

from 1,000 to 2,000 non-taxable minimum incomes of citizens.

In addition, confiscation and disposal of objects and means used to provide such services is provided.

For repeated violation or use of vulnerable groups

If the violation is committed repeatedly within a year or the activity is carried out with the involvement of:

minors;

pensioners;
persons with disabilities;
military personnel and their family members,

the fine may be from 3,000 to 5,000 non-taxable minimum incomes of citizens.

For officials

For officials, the draft law provides for separate liability – a fine from 10,000 to 12,000 non-taxable minimum incomes of citizens with confiscation of the means of providing services.

What’s next

Currently, the draft law has been sent for consideration by parliamentary committees. If it is adopted in Ukraine, the rules of activity in the field of esoteric and occult services may change significantly.