Baghdad, December 19: On Thursday, December 14, the Federal Supreme Court of Iraq decided to prohibit porn websites throughout all of the country's governorates. According to an Iraqi News Agency (INA) report, the court issued an order to restrict pornographic websites in response to a plea made by legislator Basem Khazal Khashan.

According to an official statement, the court ordered that all pornographic websites across the nation be blocked, and the Minister of Communications and the Chairman of the Communications and Media Commission (CMC) cease their operations. Porn Ban in India: Government Orders Blocking 67 Pornographic Websites.

This is not the first time that Iraqis have brought up this topic. In order to protect the public interest, the Iraqi Parliament made a decision in 2015 requiring the government to give enforceable directives to governmental and non-governmental organisations to prohibit pornographic websites.

Despite many debates in the Iraqi Parliament over the prohibition of pornographic websites, the government has not taken any significant steps to implement the resolution. Iraq's minister of communications, Hiyam Al-Yasiri, submitted a similar proposal last year to limit access to pornographic websites in the country. Porn to Be Banned for Minors? More US States to Follow Louisiana, Consider Requiring Government-Issued ID For Watching Pornographic Websites.

Although many people reportedly applauded the decision, some have claimed that it is insufficient because social media sites are not included by the bill. Pornographic websites rank among the most popular in Iraq, using Similar Web's internet traffic monitor. A lot of Iraqi social media users reported that by using a free VPN programme, they could still access pornographic websites.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Dec 19, 2023 04:22 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).