A court in Sumy region found a woman guilty of creating and distributing a pornographic image via the Telegram messenger. She was fined UAH 17,000 and her phone was confiscated for the benefit of the state.
A court in Sumy region found a woman guilty of creating and distributing a pornographic image via the Telegram messenger. She was fined UAH 17,000 and her phone was confiscated for the benefit of the state.
According to «Economic Truth», this is a decision of the Putyvl District Court dated September 11, 2025. The investigation established that on the evening of April 19, a woman took an intimate photo, saved it in the memory of her mobile device, and within three minutes sent it to another Telegram user. For this, she received UAH 995 from him.
The court decision stated that the image, transferred under the name WathatsApp Image, was classified as pornographic by art experts. Although the court referred to the provisions of the law «On the Protection of Public Morals», which has already lost force, the proceedings were conducted under Article 301 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. This article provides for a fine, restriction or imprisonment for up to three years for the production and distribution of pornography.
The accused did not deny the fact of the offense and entered into a plea agreement with the investigation. The court found her guilty and imposed a fine of 1,000 tax-free minimums. In addition to the financial penalty, the woman was also deprived of the phone with which the photo was made and sent.
This case caused a stir due to the use of «moral» formulations in the verdict. The court indicated in its decision that the image «infringes on the principles of public morality and may distort the idea of intimate relationships.» At the same time, lawyers point out that the law «On the Protection of Public Morality» was repealed back in 2015, and Article 301 of the Criminal Code itself often becomes the subject of discussions regarding the boundaries of privacy, digital communications, and the protection of personal data.
Ukrainian lawyers emphasize that although the state has the right to counteract the illegal circulation of pornography, the practice of confiscating personal devices can become a dangerous precedent.
Previously, dev.ua wrote about how the Ingulsky District Court of Mykolaiv considered the case of a cleaner at a housing and utilities company in the city of Bashtanka, who was accused by law enforcement officers of distributing pornographic content. She sold two nudes for several hundred hryvnias on Telegram.
