FRIDAY, JUNE 27, 1975
STIFFER PENALTIES FOR SMUT PUBLISHERS ******
THE GOVERNMENT TODAY ANNOUNCED TOUGH NEW ANTI-PORNOGRAPHY LEGISLATION CARRYING FINES OF UP TO $100,000 AND PRISON TERMS OF UP TO THREE YEARS.
THE PROPOSED LEGISLATION ALSO GIVES THE COURTS POWER TO CONFISCATE PRINTING AND OTHER EQUIPMENT USED IN THE PRODUCTION OF PORNOGRAPHIC MATERIAL.
A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN SAID TODAY THE LEGISLATION HAD BEEN DESIGNED TO FIGHT ALL FORMS OF PORNOGRAPHY WITH SPECIAL PROVISIONS TO DEAL WITH THE SEX-AND-VIOLENCE COMIC BOOKS ON OPEN SALE TO CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE IN HONG KONG.
THE FAR-REACHING MEASURES ARE CONTAINED IN THE OBJECTIONABLE PUBLICATIONS BILL 1975 PUBLISHED IN TODAY'S GAZETTE, AND SCHEDULED TO GO TO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL NEXT WEDNESDAY.
THE BILL, IF APPROVED, WILL REPLACE THE INDECENT EXHIBITIONS ORDINANCE, WHICH CARRIES A MAXIMUM FINE OF $5,000 AND A MAXIMUM GAOL TERM OF SIX MONTHS.
THE SPOKESMAN SAID THE PROVISIONS OF THE OLD ORDINANCE WERE NOW CONSIDERED TO BE INADEQUATE GENERALLY, AND PARTICULARLY IN VIEW OF THE MARKED INCREASE IN PORNOGRAPHY AIMED AT JUVENILES - DEFINED AS PEOPLE UNDER 16 YEARS OF AGE.
+THERE IS NO DOUBT THAT SOME PORN PEDLARS WOULD CONSIDER A $5,000 FINE AS PART OF THEIR OVERHEADS, HE SAID. THE PORNOGRAPHIC BUSINESS HAS BECOME SO LUCRATIVE THAT SUCH FINES HAVE CEASED TO HAVE ANY DETERRENT EFFECT.
+THIS WAS THE THINKING BEHIND INCREASING NOT ONLY THE FINES, BUT IN SUBSTANTIALLY RAISING THE MAXIMUM PRISON TERM TO THREE YEARS.+
THE SPOKESMAN SAID THE GOVERNMENT WAS ESPECIALLY CONCERNED AT THE MUSHROOMING OF THE NUMBER OF COMIC BOOKS AVAILABLE IN HONG KONG WHICH EMPHASISED THE EXTREMES OF VIOLENCE, SADISM AND SEX.
+THERE IS NO DOUBT THAT THESE COMICS CAN CAUSE IMMENSE HARM TO YOUNG PEOPLE AND THE PEOPLE RESPONSIBLE FOR THEM CLEARLY HAVE NO REGARD FOR COMMUNITY VALUES,+ HE SAID.
+PUBLIC OPINION IS OVERWHELMINGLY IN FAVOUR OF ERADICATING THESE PUBLICATIONS FROM OUR SOCIETY.+
/ONE OF THE
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