Russian Pornography and Erotica - Legal Issues

Legal Issues

In 1996 section 242 in Russian Criminal Code became a federal legislation that prohibited sale and production of "illegal" pornographic materials. The section provides for a penalty of up to 2 years in prison. Authorities missed a critical definition—the one of actual pornography. While pornography is officially illegal to sell in Russia, the law doesn’t spell out in exact terms the subject of the ban. Russian erotica is sold openly in sex shops and DVD stores. Newspapers publish information about police raids on such places on a monthly basis.

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