---
title: "Parliamentary Failure: Why the Verkhovna Rada Rejected the Decriminalization of Pornography"
description: "The Verkhovna Rada failed to pass the bill on decriminalizing pornography — only 207 deputies voted in favor. The scandal involving 'porno offices' and police corruption proved decisive. 🚫📉 #Ukraine #Parliament #Pornography"
date: 2026-05-28T09:34:00.000Z
lang: en
url: https://xab.info/en/posts/parliamentary-failure-why-verkhovna-rada-rejected-decriminalization-pornography
tags: []
publisher: "XAB.info"
---

# Parliamentary Failure: Why the Verkhovna Rada Rejected the Decriminalization of Pornography

![Session of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine: deputies voting on the bill to decriminalize pornography](https://xab.info/media/2026/05/28/rada-provalila-zakonoproekt-o-dekriminalizatsii-porno/verkhovna-rada-zasedanie.webp)

Inside the Verkhovna Rada, voting concluded on one of the most controversial bills in recent times — Bill No. 12191, which proposed removing criminal liability for the creation and distribution of pornography involving consenting adults. The initiative failed to gain support: only 207 Members of Parliament voted in favor, while a minimum of 226 votes is required to pass legislation. Moreover, the parliament could not even refer the bill to a second first reading, effectively marking its complete failure.

The authors’ intent was not to legalize pornography but to decriminalize it — meaning to exempt from criminal prosecution those who create or possess intimate content between consenting adults. The authors insisted that the goal was to protect citizens from unjustified criminal charges, not to promote the industry.

However, debate over the bill intensified amid a major corruption scandal. Recently, law enforcement conducted raids on regional offices of the National Police of Ukraine in Ternopil, Zhytomyr, and Ivano-Frankivsk oblasts. Investigators found that leadership of territorial units may have facilitated the unimpeded operation of so-called “porno offices” — closed spaces where illegal activities were carried out.

According to the Office of the Prosecutor General, a driver for one of the Deputy Ministers of Internal Affairs acted as an intermediary in this scheme. Leveraging connections within the National Police leadership, he negotiated with officials to refrain from interfering with these “offices.” During raids, authorities seized six luxury vehicles, weapons, and over 22 million UAH in cash. Four police officers were suspended, and several were detained.

This scandal likely became the decisive factor influencing MPs’ positions. In an environment where pornography is associated with corruption and abuses by law enforcement, the idea of decriminalization was perceived as a potential threat to public order and trust in the justice system.

### Why Did the Bill Fail?

- Insufficient votes — 207 instead of the required 226.
- No support for a second first reading.
- Political and public tension amid the corruption scandal.
- Fear that the bill would be interpreted as “legalizing” pornography.

Thus, the Verkhovna Rada decided to maintain criminal prosecution for the creation and distribution of pornography. This decision reflects the current balance between protecting citizens’ rights and the need to combat crime and corruption. The future of similar initiatives will depend on how effectively the law enforcement system can be cleansed of abuses and restore public trust.