Priama Diia statement
Everyone has long been aware of Ukraine’s highly controversial draft Civil Code, made public on 22 January 2026 by the Speaker of the Ukrainian Verkhovna Rada, Mr R. O. Stefanchuk (pictured).
The draft bill contains a series of unacceptable articles, notably Article 1478, the most controversial of all, which establishes a mechanism allowing, by court order, the marriage of an adult to a 14-year-old girl in the event of her pregnancy or the birth of a child, thereby placing minors in a vulnerable position where they may be subject to manipulation and coercion into marriage.
Furthermore, Article 294 infringes upon the right to freedom of expression by introducing a provision known as the ‘right of reply’, which stipulates that information disseminated through various channels must not undermine the ‘presumption of innocence’. Presumption is a term used in criminal law, and its application in civil matters makes journalistic revelations impossible and allows the most influential criminals to exert pressure on their critics.
For example, the post concerning Kachmar [former rector Volodymyr Kachmar accused of verbal and physical harassment of female students] breaches the law under this Civil Code, as it fails to respect the presumption of innocence. This deprives victims of assault and violence of an important tool for putting pressure on criminals.
And to top it all off, the new Civil Code, in several places (Articles 1473, 1474, 1478, 1480, 1875, etc.) enshrines marriage as a union between a woman and a man, which completely excludes same-sex relationships from access to the institution of marriage and the rights associated with it, constituting blatant discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation and a step backwards for Ukraine’s European integration.
In addition to discrimination against same-sex couples, Article 1495 renders a marriage null and void in the event of a change of gender by one of the partners, which constitutes discrimination against both transgender people and their partners, as the law allows the state to annul the marriage without the knowledge of one of the parties.
There is a way forward, and it lies in our collective action. Priama Diia invites you to sign the petition [ https://itd.rada.gov.ua/petitions/Petition/Index/13459 ] regarding the amendments to the Code, but remember: a single signature is not enough. We call for active resistance through information and public debate. Every post, every call to action and every voice in support of human rights brings us closer to the creation of fair legislation, free from discrimination and manipulation.
