National People’s Congress Standing Committee Decision on the Punishment of Criminal Smuggling, Production, Sale or Dissemination of Obscene Goods

(Passed at the 17th Meeting of the Standing Committee of the Seventh National People’s Congress on 28 December 1990, Promulgated as People’s Republic of China Presidential Decree No. 39 on 28 December 1990, taking effect on 28 December 1990)

In order to punish criminals who smuggle, produce, sell or disseminate obscene books and periodicals, films, video tapes, audio tapes, pictures or other obscene goods, maintain social security and public order, strengthen the construction of a socialist spiritual civilization and stem the corrosive influence of the bourgeois ideology, the following is decided:

1. Those smuggling obscene goods for the purpose of making profit or dissemination shall be punished in accordance with the supplementary regulations concerning the punishment of criminal smuggling. Those carrying or mailing small quantities of obscene articles into or out of the borders, not for the purpose of making profit or dissemination, shall be punished in accordance with the relevant provisions of the Customs Law.

2. Those producing, duplicating, publishing, selling or disseminating obscene goods for the purpose of making profit shall be sentenced to fixed-term imprisonment not exceeding three years or criminal detention and shall additionally be fined; if the circumstances are grave, the offender shall be sentenced to fixed-term imprisonment of not less than three years but not more than ten years and shall additionally be fined; and if the circumstances are especially grave, the offender shall be sentenced to fixed-term imprisonment of not less than ten years or life imprisonment and shall additionally be fined or confiscation of property. If the circumstances are relatively minor, the offender shall be punished by the public security organ in accordance with the relevant provisions of the Regulations on Administrative Penalties for Public Security.

Those providing book numbers to others to publish obscene books and periodicals shall be sentenced to fixed-term imprisonment of not more than three years or criminal detention and shall additionally or simply be fined. Those providing others with book numbers clearly knowing that these will be used for publication of obscene books and periodicals shall be punished in accordance with the provisions of the preceding paragraph.

3. Those disseminates obscene books and periodicals, films, video-and audio-tapes, pictures or other obscene goods to society, where the circumstances are grave, shall be sentenced to fixed-term imprisonment of not more than two years or criminal detention; where the circumstances are relatively minor, the offender shall be punished by the public security organ in accordance with the relevant provisions of the Regulations on Administrative Penalties for Public Security.

Those organizing projection of obscene audiovisual products such as films or videotapes shall be sentenced to fixed-term imprisonment of not more than three years or criminal detention and shall additionally be fined; where the circumstances are grave, the offender shall be sentenced to fixed-term imprisonment of not less than three years but not more than ten years and shall additionally be fined. Where the circumstances are relatively minor, the offender shall be punished by the public security organ in accordance with the relevant provisions of the Regulations on Administrative Penalties for Public Security.

Those producing or duplicating obscene films and videotapes or similar audiovisual products and organizing projection of such products shall be given a heavier punishment in accordance with the provisions of the preceding paragraph.

Those disseminating obscene goods to minors under the age of eighteen shall be given heavier punishment.

Parents and schools shall rigorously discipline and educate minors under the age of sixteen who make private copies of, or pass around, obscene pictures, books and periodicals, or other obscene goods.

4. Those using obscene goods to engage in criminal hooligan activities shall be punished in accordance with the provisions of Article 160 of the Criminal Law; ringleaders of criminal hooligan groups or those engaging in criminal hooligan activities with especially grave consequences, may, in accordance with the provisions of Article 1 of the Decision Regarding the Severe Punishment of Criminals Gravely Endangering Public Security, be punished above the maximum punishment stipulated in the Criminal Law, including the death sentence.

Those using obscene goods to teach ways to commit crimes shall be punished in accordance with the provisions of Article 2 of the Decision Regarding the Severe Punishment of Criminals Gravely Endangering Public Security; where the circumstances are especially grave, the offender shall be sentenced to life imprisonment or death.

5. If a unit commits any unlawful or criminal act mentioned in Article 1, 2 or 3 of this Decision, the persons directly in charge and other persons directly involved in it shall be punished respectively in accordance with the provisions of the abovementioned goods, the unit shall be subjected to a fine or penalty, and the competent administrative department may order the unit to cease business for rectification or revoke its licence.

6. Where one of the following circumstances is present, a heavier punishment shall be given in accordance with the relevant provisions of this Decision:

(1) being ringleaders of a criminal group;

(2) being State functionaries who take advantage of their office to smuggle, produce, duplicate, publish, sell or disseminate obscene goods;

(3) being persons in charge of facilities for video recording, photographing, duplicating, etc. who, by taking advantage of these facilities, commit illicit or criminal acts mentioned in Article 2, 3, or 4 of this Decision; or

(4) being adults who instigate minors under the age of eighteen to smuggle, produce, duplicate, sell or disseminate obscene goods.

7. Obscene goods, illegal gains from smuggling, producing, duplicating, publishing, selling or disseminating obscene goods and the offender’s own criminal tools shall be confiscated. The confiscated obscene goods shall be destroyed in accordance with relevant State regulations. All income from fines and penalties or confiscation shall be turned over to the State Treasury.

8. Obscene goods as named in this Decision, refers to books, periodicals, films, videotapes, audio tapes, pictures, or other obscene works concretely describing sexual behavior or undisguisedly propagating pornography.

Scientific works on human physiology or medical knowledge are not seen as obscene goods.

Literary and art works of artistic value which contain sexual contents are not seen as obscene goods.

The categories and catalogues of obscene goods shall be provided by the relevant  State Council. Controlling authorities.

1. This Decision shall take effect on the date of promulgation.

全国人民代表大会常务委员会关于惩治走私、制作、贩卖、传播淫秽物品的犯罪分子的决定

（１９９０年１２月２８日第七届全国人民代表大会常务委员会第十七次会议通过 １９９０年１２月２８日中华人民共和国主席令第三十九号公布 １９９０年１２月２８日起施行）

为了惩治走私、制作、贩卖、传播淫秽的书刊、影片、录像带、录音带、图片或者其他淫秽物品的犯罪分子，维护社会治安秩序，加强社会主义精神文明建设，抵制资产阶级腐朽思想的侵蚀，特作如下决定：

一、以牟利或者传播为目的，走私淫秽物品的，依照关于惩治走私罪的补充规定处罚。不是为了牟利、传播，携带、邮寄少量淫秽物品进出境的，依照海关法的有关规定处罚。

二、以牟利为目的，制作、复制、出版、贩卖、传播淫秽物品的，处三年以下有期徒刑或者拘役，并处罚金；情节严重的，处三年以上十年以下有期徒刑，并处罚金；情节特别严重的，处十年以上有期徒刑或者无期徒刑，并处罚金或者没收财产。情节较轻的，由公安机关依照治安管理处罚条例的有关规定处罚。

为他人提供书号，出版淫秽书刊的，处三年以下有期徒刑或者拘役，并处或者单处罚金；明知他人用于出版淫秽书刊而提供书号的，依照前款的规定处罚。

三、在社会上传播淫秽的书刊、影片、录像带、录音带、图片或者其他淫秽物品，情节严重的，处二年以下有期徒刑或者拘役。情节较轻的，由公安机关依照治安管理处罚条例的有关规定处罚。

组织播放淫秽的电影、录像等音像制品的，处三年以下有期徒刑或者拘役，可以并处罚金；情节严重的，处三年以上十年以下有期徒刑，并处罚金。情节较轻的，由公安机关依照治安管理处罚条例的有关规定处罚。

制作、复制淫秽的电影、录像等音像制品组织播放的，依照第二款的规定从重处罚。

向不满十八岁的未成年人传播淫秽物品的，从重处罚。

不满十六岁的未成年人传抄、传看淫秽的图片、书刊或者其他淫秽物品的，家长、学校应当加强管教。

四、利用淫秽物品进行流氓犯罪的，依照刑法第一百六十条的规定处罚；流氓犯罪集团的首要分子，或者进行流氓犯罪活动危害特别严重的，依照关于严惩严重危害社会治安的犯罪分子的决定第一条的规定，可以在刑法规定的最高刑以上处刑，直至判处死刑。

利用淫秽物品传授犯罪方法的，依照关于严惩严重危害社会治安的犯罪分子的决定第二条的规定处罚，情节特别严重的，处无期徒刑或者死刑。

五、单位有本决定第一条、第二条、第三条规定的违法犯罪行为的，对其直接负责的主管人员和其他直接责任人员，依照各该条的规定处罚，对单位判处罚金或者予以罚款，行政主管部门并可以责令停业整顿或者吊销执照。

六、有下列情节之一的，依照本决定有关规定从重处罚：

（一）犯罪集团的首要分子；

（二）国家工作人员利用工作职务便利，走私、制作、复制、出版、贩卖、传播淫秽物品的；

（三）管理录像、照像、复印等设备的人员，利用所管理的设备，犯有本决定第二条、第三条、第四条规定的违法犯罪行为的；

（四）成年人教唆不满十八岁的未成年人走私、制作、复制、贩卖、传播淫秽物品的。

七、淫秽物品和走私、制作、复制、出版、贩卖、传播淫秽物品的违法所得以及属于本人所有的犯罪工具，予以没收。没收的淫秽物品，按照国家规定销毁。罚没收入一律上缴国库。

八、本决定所称淫秽物品，是指具体描绘性行为或者露骨宣扬色情的诲淫性的书刊、影片、录像带、录音带、图片及其他淫秽物品。

有关人体生理、医学知识的科学著作不是淫秽物品。

包含有色情内容的有艺术价值的文学、艺术作品不视为淫秽物品。

淫秽物品的种类和目录，由国务院有关主管部门规定。

九、本决定自公布之日起施行。

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