Wednesday 12 November 2008

KENYA: State Raises Red Flag over Spreading Pornography

NAIROBI, August 22, 2008 (CISA) -The government is on the warpath against the growing consumption of explicit films in this largely Christian nation.Unlicensed video halls have mushroomed in towns around the country in recent years. Many of them show pornographic films. Concern has also been voiced over the emergence of strip clubs especially in the Kenyan capital.In a public notice, the Kenya Film Censorship Board issued a two-week notice to all video and cinema operators who have not complied with the Films and Stage Act Cap 222 of the Laws of Kenya and the penal code to do so.The government warned that those involved in the sale, hire, exhibition and trafficking of pornographic materials in the country will be prosecuted.It is a criminal offense to display or to distribute sell, hire and exhibit pornographic materials or exhibit unclassified movies and posters.The law also stipulates that operating without valid license from Kenya Film Censorship Board, exhibiting, selling and hiring audio-visual materials without classification labels or stickers and publicly exhibiting any cinematograph films of indecent nature that tend to corrupt morals is an offense.The government assured the public that it will conduct regular spot-checks to stamp out pornography and check on those premises that do no have valid licenses from the board.It also discouraged members of the public from buying, hiring or viewing unclassified or pornographic videos to enable the Board fight the vice for the common good of Kenyans.Members of the public should report any incidents of sale, hire, distribution or exhibition of pornographic materials to the Board or a police station.

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