Kharkov is undergoing the surge of persecutions against the publications containing erotic materials. Recently the local department of work with juvenile delinquents of the town of Chuguevo (a regional center) demanded that the post office ban the selling of the weekly journal "Simona" through news-stands. The letter ¹ 4 dated May 28, 1998 signed by the head of the above-mentioned organization runs: "The "Simona" journal is the publication of lesbians and homosexuals. Owing to this journal which your service diligently distributes, some "activists"-homos that have appeared in the town lately, are making attempts to organize their club aiming at sexual depraving of our (and your) children and grandchildren".
The reply article in the "Simona" weekly says: "It is regrettable to hear such statements, that crudely suppress human rights, in the late 90s". Red-tape functionaries completely disregard the fact that the paper has published important information concerning prevention of AIDS and drug-abuse as well as other medical materials. In such a way the right to information gets violated, specialized publications are banned.