Ukraine's Civil Code Draft Sparks Fierce Debate Over Privacy, LGBT Rights, and Divorce

Author, Svetlana Dorosh

Place of work, Ukrainian Service of BBC

Published 3 hours ago

Reading time: 9 min

A heated public discussion has erupted in Ukraine around the draft Civil Code, which introduces many new norms, including those concerning the protection of private information, the rights of the LGBT community, and divorces between spouses. Opponents of the document are holding protests and publishing collective statements, while its authors insist that they aim to bring the country closer to European standards.

This is a shortened and adapted translation of the material by a correspondent of the Ukrainian Service of BBC. The original in Ukrainian can be read here.

This huge bill, over 800 pages long, was adopted by the Rada in the first reading at the end of April. It is intended to absorb the current Commercial and Family Codes of Ukraine and dozens of laws.

Authors insist: this is necessary for the 'de-Sovietization' of civil law and bringing it closer to EU standards.

However, opponents believe that the draft contains many norms whose adoption is unacceptable and dangerous. As one of the street protest activists, Kristina Morozova, stated, 'it's like in Stephen King's books: the further you read, the scarier it gets.'

What has so frightened many human rights defenders and lawyers?

The Ukrainian Service of BBC has gathered the most scandalous articles, according to critics, that have appeared in the new Civil Code.

Dispute over terms

However, it's not just about the articles that politicians and lawyers are arguing about. The story with the new Civil Code has been scandalous from the very beginning.