View source for Quebec court acquits author, declares part of child pornography law invalid

A Quebec author charged with producing child pornography in connection with fictional scenes in a horror novel has been acquitted in a ruling that also declared part of Canada's law invalid. Quebec Superior Court Justice Marc-Andre Blanchard ruled Thursday that certain articles of Canada's child pornography laws cast too wide a net, targeting works of literature that don't endorse or promote pedophilia. [...]<br>
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Yvan Godbout had been charged with producing child pornography over passages found in his horror novel, "Hansel et Gretel," which include scenes of sexual abuse of a minor-aged brother and sister. Godbout had argued that the author of a fictional horror novel that neither advocates nor counsels pedophilia should not see his freedom of expression restricted through criminal charges that carry a devastating social stigma. He also argued that there is no evidence to show that such written works of fiction cause any harm to children. The court's ruling was welcomed Friday by PEN Canada, an organization that advocates for freedom of expression for writers.<br>
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<i>source: Article 'Quebec Court Acquits Author, Declares Part of Child Pornography Law Invalid' by Morgan Lowrie; www.todocanada.ca/quebec-court-acquits-author-declares-part-of-child-pornography-law-invalid/; To Do Canada; 25 September 2020</i>

[[Category:Morgan Lowrie]]
[[Category:Canada]]
[[Category:Written child pornography‏‎]]
[[Category:Geschreven kinderporno]]
[[Category:PEN Canada]]
[[Category:Freedom of expression]]
[[Category:Vrijheid van expressie‏‎]]
[[Category:Marc-Andre Blanchard]]
[[Category:Yvan Godbout]]