Uganda Drops Anti-Porn Law After Backlash By Women's Rights Group

Women's rights campaigners have hailed the constitutional court's decision to annul a controversial law against pornography in Uganda. The 2014 Anti-Pornography Act criminalised any activity deemed pornographic, anything from wearing short skirts to writing risque songs. A panel of five judges unanimously ruled that sections of the law that defined pornographic offences, including the ban on "indecent" clothing, were "inconsistent with, or in contravention of, the constitution of the republic of Uganda".

When the legislation was introduced in 2014, it was officially to prohibit the spread of pornography, which the government said would help protect women and children. Under the law, song lyrics and music videos could also be considered pornographic. In 2015, a young Ugandan pop singer Jemimah Kansiime became the first person to be prosecuted under the law. She faced a 10-year prison sentence for a racy music video which Ethics Minister and former Catholic priest Simon Lokodo considered "very obscene and vulgar". In 2018, Ugandan fashion model, Judith Heard was arrested in Uganda after naked photos of her were leaked.