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International Catholic Entity “very sad” After Uganda Annuls Anti-Pornography Law

The Official Logo of CitizenGo. Credit: CitizenGo

The leadership of CitizenGo, the international Catholic activist organization that spearheads family issues, has expressed disappointment at the annulment of the Anti-Pornography Law in Uganda and called on the government of the East African country to petition the Court’s decision.  

Last month, the Constitutional Court scrapped the 2014 legislation that was widely known as the anti-miniskirt law saying it contravenes the Constitution of the Republic of Uganda. 

“It is very sad that anti-family activists have successfully lobbied and used judicial activism to have the law that protected Ugandan children from explicit sexual content scrapped,” CitizenGo officials say in a Monday, September 20 petition.

The August 14 verdict against the Anti-Pornography Law “came as a shock to many Ugandans considering the law has been in effect since 2014,” CitizenGo officials say.

The defunct 2014 Anti-Pornography Act criminalized pornographic activities, indecent dressing that includes wearing of miniskirts and the composition of vulgar music. 

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The government said it introduced the law to protect women and children.

In the September 20 petition addressed to Uganda’s Minister of Information, Communications, Technology (ICT) and National Guidance, Frank K. Tumwebaze, Citizen Go officials say the removal of the law is worrying to parents in the East African nation. 

“Parents are now worried about the effects this judgement will have especially now that pornography will be accessible without as many regulations,” say officials of the entity founded by the ultra-Catholic HazteOir organization.

In the September 20 petition, CitizenGo officials also express concern about the effects of pornography.

“Pornography viewing can lead to family breakdown, prostitution, sex trafficking and other crimes against women and children,” they say. 

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They add that “lives have been negatively impacted by pornography due to the addictive nature of porn and its impact on the brain.”

For these reasons, officials of the organization that was founded in Spain call on the Minister to appeal the Constitutional Court’s decision.

“We thus call on Uganda’s Minister of ICT and National Guidance to reconsider this move by the courts and have the decision appealed immediately in a bid to protect Ugandans,” they say. 

They insist on the need for the Anti-miniskirt law to be reinstated saying, “Many countries which have not banned pornography are experiencing the downside effects and are now calling for it to be banned.”

Magdalene Kahiu is a Kenyan journalist with passion in Church communication. She holds a Degree in Social Communications from the Catholic University of Eastern Africa (CUEA). Currently, she works as a journalist for ACI Africa.