The Act Number 44 of 2008 on Pornography ( id, Undang-Undang Nomor 44 Tahun 2008 Tentang Pornografi),
[ commonly known as Pornography Law (''Undang-Undang Pornografi''), is a law in Indonesia on ]pornography
Pornography (often shortened to porn or porno) is the portrayal of sexual subject matter for the exclusive purpose of sexual arousal. Primarily intended for adults, which was passed on 30 October 2008. It was proposed as the Bill against Pornography and Porno-Action ( id, Rancangan Undang-Undang Anti Pornografi dan Pornoaksi), sometimes translated as Bill against Pornography and Pornographic Acts, by the Indonesia
Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania between the Indian and Pacific oceans. It consists of over 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi, and parts of Borneo and New Gui ...
n legislative assembly, Dewan Perwakilan Rakyat
The People's Representative Council of the Republic of Indonesia ( id, Dewan Perwakilan Rakyat Republik Indonesia, DPR-RI), also known as the House of Representatives, is one of two elected chambers of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR), ...
, on 14 February 2006. The bill was passed into an act on 30 October 2008.[
A similar bill was discussed and unsuccessfully presented in the 1990s but was withdrawn in the face of opposition.][ law on pornography still divides the community Inside Indonesia, Helen Pausacker]
The 2005-06 bill attracted extensive opposition and was dropped, only to be reintroduced in 2008 as the Bill on Pornography.[ The bill states that anyone engaging in pornography and ''pornoaction'' is punishable by law, ''pornoaction'' being an invented word that means "actions deemed indecent." This includes, but is not limited to, public acts such as spouses kissing, women showing their navels or shoulders, and people sunbathing in ]bikini
A bikini is a two-piece swimsuit primarily worn by women that features two triangles of fabric on top that cover the breasts, and two triangles of fabric on the bottom: the front covering the pelvis but exposing the navel, and the back coverin ...
s or swimwear
A swimsuit is an item of clothing designed to be worn by people engaging in a water-based activity or water sports, such as swimming, diving and surfing, or sun-orientated activities, such as sun bathing. Different types may be worn by men, ...
.
This bill provoked a severe negative reaction from many people who believed that the government is trying to limit their freedom. Several public demonstrations ensued both by people who supported (the Prosperous Justice Party
The Prosperous Justice Party ( id, Partai Keadilan Sejahtera, sometimes called the Justice and Prosperity Party), frequently abbreviated to PKS, is an IslamistAl-Hamdi, Ridho. (2017). ''Moving towards a Normalised Path: Political Islam in Contempo ...
(PKS) and Muslim religious leaders) and those who rejected the bill as too broad-ranging and a restriction on personal freedom.
In 2010 the anti-pornography law was challenged but Indonesia's Constitutional Court
A constitutional court is a high court that deals primarily with constitutional law. Its main authority is to rule on whether laws that are challenged are in fact unconstitutional, i.e. whether they conflict with constitutionally established ...
upheld the ban and stated that the law's definition of pornography was clear and did not violate the constitution.BBC News - Indonesia upholds anti-pornography bill
/ref>
See also
* Pornography laws by region
Pornography laws by region vary throughout the world. The production and distribution of pornographic films are both activities that are lawful in many, but by no means all countries so long as the pornography features performers aged above a c ...
* Legality of child pornography
Child pornography is illegal in most countries, but there is substantial variation in definitions, categories, penalties, and interpretations of laws. Differences include the definition of "child" under the laws, which can vary with the age of ...
* Legal status of internet pornography
* Internet censorship in Indonesia
References
External links
The bill on pornography and pornoaction in Indonesian
Law No. 44 of 2008 on Pornography (official document of the DPR-RI)
AsiaMedia article
''The Economist''
''Time''. 6 November 2008.
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bill Against Pornography And Pornoaction
Law of Indonesia
Indonesian pornography
Society of Indonesia
Pornography law