Sri Lanka Press Council Law (No. 5 of 1973)

Sri Lanka Consolidated Acts

Certain criminal publications

15.

(1) Every person who publishes, or causes the publication of, in any newspaper:-

	(a) any profane matter; or

	(b) any statement or matter concerning a person which will amount to defamation of such person within the meaning of section 479 of the Penal Code; or

	(c) any advertisement which is calculated to injure public morality; or

	(d) any indecent or obscene statement or matter, shall be guilty of an offence and shall, upon conviction, be liable to be punished with a fine not exceeding five thousand rupees, or with imprisonment of either description for a term not exceeding two years or with both such fine and imprisonment.

(2) For the purposes of this section-

(a) " profane matter " means any matter which is intended to insult-

(i) any religion or the founder of any religion;

(ii) any deity or saint venerated by the followers of any religion; and

	(b) " indecent or obscene statement or matter" shall be deemed to be any statement or matter which is likely to deprave and corrupt persons who may, having regard to all relevant circumstances, read or see that statement or matter.