Press briefing of Cabinet Decision taken on 2016-03-09

Obscene Publications Bill

- It is of paramount importance to safeguard children from the adverse effects which could result from their exposure to obscene publications. The provisions contained in the Penal Code and the Obscene Publications Ordinance of 1927 are inadequate to deal with that regard, especially in the present social context. Accordingly, the proposal made by Hon. (Dr.) Wijayadasa Rajapaksa, the Minister of Justice, to bring in a new Act on obscene publications, in place of the existing legal provisions, in order to provide for the prohibition of obscene publications using children, prevention of keeping child pornography through use of computer systems and for the avoidance of exposure of children to visuals on sexual activities using computer as a medium, was approved by the Cabinet.