Freedom of Expression: No drawing should be a crime

Responsible department: Ministry of Justice

This law was introduced as part of the Coroners and Justice Act 2009, and made law in early April 2010. To be clear: this law has nothing to do with photos created from actual child abuse. It merely bans the victimless possession of pornographic drawings (illustrations, cartoons, sketches, etc.) that portray minors and are considered 'grossly offensive' or 'obscene.'

While I'm all for protecting real children from being abused, this should be repealed because it negates the longstanding tradition of freedom of expression/privacy, furthers the pernicious trend toward legislating 'thought crimes,' and legally enshrines subjective taste.

Speculation that people might commit serious crimes in the future, as justification for undermining fundamental freedoms, ought to be rejected.