Verdict for Lviv woman over fictitious marriage
A Lviv woman with disabilities received a verdict for a fictitious marriage to cross the border. The railway district court of Lviv issued a verdict against a local resident who has a second group of disabilities. According to the case materials, on June 30, 2023, the woman and her relative registered a fictitious marriage, which became the basis for illegal border crossing.
That same evening, at 22:23, the woman crossed the border with her husband at the 'Shehyni' checkpoint. After this, the woman returned to Ukraine a few hours later, while her relative stayed outside the country for two months. In April 2024, the couple crossed the border again, this time in an Audi car.
Court verdict and consequences
The court found the woman guilty under part 1 of Article 332 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. As a result, she was sentenced to three years in prison. However, the court released the woman from serving the actual sentence, establishing a probation period of two years. In the comments, the woman noted that
“the fictitious marriage has already been officially dissolved”.
This case highlights the relevance of the problem of illegal border crossings, which remains a serious issue for Ukrainian law enforcement agencies. Fictitious marriages are used as one of the schemes to circumvent legislation, which can lead to serious consequences for both offenders and the migration control system.
An important aspect is also the issue of social responsibility of persons with disabilities who, due to various circumstances, may resort to such actions in search of better living conditions.