norvegian censorship

Supreme Court gets porn screening
A long-running battle to modernize Norway's censorship laws reaches its climax next week when skin magazine editor Stein-Erik Mattsson presents evidence and arguments to the Supreme Court.

Stein-Erik Mattson poses with his provocative issue of 'Free' Aktuell Rapport, which dropped its price tag and censorship bars.
PHOTO: Aas, Erlend
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Mattsson, who published an issue of Frie Aktuell Rapport in the summer of 2002 with a lack of the black bars that Norwegian law demands be placed over depictions of active genitalia, has been trying to force a reexamination of the country's censorship laws.

Mattsson printed 13,000 copies of the magazine, which included depictions of hetero and homosexual acts, as well as an older Finnish couple in action. Besides handing the magazine out, he sent a copy to every member of parliament to provoke a reaction.

Eventually hit with a complaint and a fine, Mattsson refused to pay and has argued that Norway's sex censorship laws are outdated. He was acquitted in an Oslo court and also in an appeals trial, but authorities now want a decision from the Supreme Court.

On Tuesday Mattsson will present a 45-minute long film to the Supreme Court, but not a porn film per se, newspaper Dagsavisen reports. Mattsson's film will be a collage of sex scenes clipped out of films that have been approved by the National Board of Film Censors.

"All of these films show as many erect penises and sex organs in movement as the magazine I have been charged for," Mattsson told Dagsavisen.

The long legal battle has taken its toll on the editor, and he has lost his job. Mattsson recently tried to end the process by paying the fine, but found the case had already been scheduled for review by the Supreme Court. Now he is ready to fight on again.

"I hope the process ends here, but I am prepared to take this all the way to the human rights tribunal in Strasbourg. This is about freedom of speech," Mattsson said.


Modified: 26.11.2005  00:06:10



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