Artists and activists opposed to a new Ukrainian law banning pornography, say they are concerned it will be used to falsely accuse political challengers in the upcoming 2010 presidential elections.

KIEV, UKRAINE REUTERS -
A new law which makes makes possession of pornography, except for medical purposes, a criminal offence in Ukraine, has raised the concerns of people who say it is an intrusion into people's private lives.
Human rights activists, lawyers and the Ukrainian artistic community are among those who have protested the law's signing.

The law, authored by Justice Minister Mykola Onishchuk, was passed by Ukraine's parliament, the Supreme Rada on June 11, in an attempt to toughen laws and punishments related to child pornography. Ukraine has a reputation for being slack in its regulation of child exploitation. It is also seen as part of a fulfilment of Ukraine's commitment to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, which was ratified in 1991.

While most Ukrainians are in favour of banning child pornography, many fear that the new law is too broad and vague, since it includes sexually explicit images involving adults.

There are fears that the law will be misused.

Some suggested that the vague new law will be used to falsely accuse political challengers in the upcoming 2010 presidential elections.

"You can be sent to prison for three years for possession of any picture that some policeman can simply pin on you - and believe me, this often happens in Ukraine. I personally believe that this law was approved specifically ahead of the presidential election in order to accuse anyone alleging vote-rigging of possession of pornographic pictures," said Vadym Gladchuk, chairman of the organisation "Youth - Ukraine's Hope."

Others simply fear that the bill is an infringement of their rights.

"We have the right to read and look at the same pornography. But this is just too much," said Evhen, a manicurist.

Ukraine's art community in particular is concerned that the law will restrict freedom of expression. The Karas Gallery, in cooperation with the Ukrainian Helsinki Human Rights Union, has launched a protest exhibition entitled "Uporno" - a play on words meaning "with pornography" and "persistently". The protest is meant to draw attention to concerns about possible human rights infringements in Ukraine as a result of the new law.

"Maybe this is just a mistake of some sort - either it's just a day-to-day affair done without realising the meaning or it is a serious intrusion into people's private lives," said writer Les Poderevyansky at a news conference held at the Uporno exhibition in the Karas Gallery.

Poderevyansky also suggested that the new law had a hint of fascism about it, and that the government was overstepping its' bounds in passing the legislation.

"I would say that fascism starts from such things. Fascism takes root with discussions of morality. When the state starts getting involved in areas it has no right to control... Let me say more. A state which cannot even provide a basic standard of living for its citizens has no moral right to discuss moral issues at all," Poderevyansky added.

The news conference kicked off an exhibition of works by Oleksandr Roitburd, Illya Chichkan, Masha Shubina, Stas Volyazlovsky, Illya Isupov and other well-known Ukrainian artists.

Possession of pornography is now punishable with fines and up to three years in prison. The Ukrainian ministry of justice has also said that possession of a large number of identical pornographic images will be considered evidence of trading in pornography, which is also outlawed.