Chapter 17 (24.7.1998/563)
Offences against public order
Section 17 (24.7.1998/563)
Distribution of depictions of violence
(1) A person who offers for sale or for rent, distributes or to that end manufactures or imports a film or other motion picture recordning depicting brutal violence shall be sentenced for distribution of depictions of depictions of violence to a fine or to imprisonment for at least two years.
(2) The provision in paragraf (1) does not apply, if the depiction of violence is to be deemed justifiable because of the informativenature or manifest artistic value of the film or recording. If the contents of the film or recorning have been screened by censors and certified for presentation according to the Act on the Classification of Audiovisual programmes (775/2000), the provision in paragraph (1) does not apply. If the producer or importer of the recorning has eveidently had the intention of subjecting the recordning to such censorship before offering it for sale or for rent or conveying it, the production or import is not punishable under paragraph (1). (25.8.2000/777)
Section 18 (9.7.2004/650)
Distribution of sexually obscene pictures
(1) A person who manufactures, offers for sale or for rent, exports, imports to or through Finland or otherwise distributes sexually obscene pictures or visual recordnings depicting
(1) children,
(2) sexual violence or
(3) bestiality,
shall be sentenced for distribution of sexually obscene pictures to a fine of imprisonment for a maximum of two years.
(2) An attempt shall be punished.
Vad som bestäms i 17 § 2 mom. gäller också bilder och bildupptagningar som avses i denna paragraf.
(3) The provisions laid down in section 17 (2) apply also to the pictures and visual recordings reffered to in this section.(4) A person under 18 years of age and person whose age cannot be determined but who can be justifiably assumed to be under 18 years of age is regarded as a child.
Aggravated distribution of aexually obscene pictures depicting children
(1) If, in the distribution of obscene pictures depicting children
(1) the child is particularly young,
(2) the picture also depicts severe violence or particularly humiliating treatment of the child,
(3) the offence is committed in a particularly methodical manner or
(4) the offence has been committed within the framework of a criminal organisation referred to a section 1a(4),
and the offence is aggravated also when assessed as a whole, the offender shall be sentenced for aggravated distribution of sexually obscene pictures depicting children to improsonment for a minimum of four months and a maximum of six years.
(2) An attempt shall be punished.
Section 18 b (9.7.2004/650)
Illegal exhibition or distribution of audiovisual programmes to a minor
A person who publicly exhibits or distributes
(1) audiovisual programmes which have not been classified for exhibition or distribution under section 8 of the Act on the Classification of Audiovisual Programmes to a person younger tha 18 years of age,
(2) audiovisual programmes in breach of the age classification imposed under section 8 of the said Act, or
(3) unclassified audiovisual programmes to a person younger than 18 years of age which, had the programme been classified, should have been banned under section 8 of the said Act or imposed a higher age classification for exhibition and distribution than the age of the person in question
shall be sentenced for illegal exhibition or distribution of audiovisual programmes to a minor to a fine or imprisonment for a maximum of six months.,
Section 19 (9.7.2004/650)
Possession of sexually obscene pictures depicting children
A person who has in his/her possession an illegal photograph, video tape, film or other realistic visual recordings depicting a child referred to in section 18(4) having sexual intercourse or participating in a comparable sexual act or depicting a child in another obviously obscene manner shall be sentenced for possession of sexually obscene pictures depicting children to a fine or imprisonment for a maximum of one year.
Section 20 (24.7.1998/563)
Unlawful marketing of obscene material
(1) A person who, for gain, markets an obscene picture, visual recording or object which is conductive to causing public offence, by
(1) giving it to a person under 15 years of age;
(2) putting it on public display;
(3) delivering it unsolicited to another; or
(4) openly offering it for sale or promoting it by advertisement, brochure or poster or by other means causing public offence,
shall be sentenced for unlawful marketing of obscene material to a fine or to imprisonment for at most six months.
(2) A sentence for unlawful marketing of obscene material shall also be passed on person who, in the manner referred to in paragraph (1)(4), offers for sale or promotes an obscene text or sound recording which is conductive to causing public offence.