Harare - Are you thinking of using revenge porn against your former spouse - then think again. A Cyber Crimes and Cyber Security Bill, cur...
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Harare - Are you thinking of using revenge porn against your former spouse - then think again.
A Cyber Crimes and Cyber Security Bill, currently at the Attorney-General’s Office for drafting, will criminalise the leaking or publishing of nude pictures of former lovers on social media or online, among other minor changes to the proposed law after public consultations.
It was originally called Computer and Cyber Crimes Bill. The ministry’s legal adviser, Loveness Ngwangwa, confirmed the changes at a public meeting in the capital organised by the Media Institute of Southern Africa Zimbabwe Chapter.
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| Pokello Nare, A Victim of Revenge Porn |
“From the consultations that were held in Harare and Bulawayo on the draft Bill, there were calls for a clause to deal with revenge pornography and the ministry has listened and incorporated that,” she said.
Revenge por_n refers to the act of a partner or ex-partner purposefully distributing images or videos of a se_xual nature without the other person’s consent. This has become common in Zimbabwe, particularly on social media where someone has been jilted.
Zimbabwe has been awash with cases of revenge por_n. Popular socialite and Zimbabwe’s former Big Brother housemate, Pokello Nare was a victim of sleazy se_x tape leak with musician Desmond Chideme, popularly known as Stunner.
Former TV personality, Tinopona Katsande was also a “victim” of infamous se_x tapes and since then has been fronting campaigns to influence criminalisation of non-consensual distribution of se_xually explicit material.
Another victim of revenge por_n was former Miss Zimbabwe Emily Kachote, who was dethroned after her nude pictures were reportedly leaked.
The other two notable changes to the Bill involve the removal of clauses on general por_nography, the criminalisation of child por_nography and the removal of the assistance clause.
“General por_nography is no longer in the Bill, but that does not mean it is legal,” Ngwangwa said.
“We have now concentrated on child por_nography. The assistance clause is now no longer there, but remember we are only talking about a draft and changes can still be made.”
The assistance clause caused a lot of anger among media activists and the general public, as they felt people would have been compelled to assist law enforcement agents to unlock their spouses’, friends’ or relatives’ electronic gadget.
Failure to assist was criminalised. Misa-Zimbabwe director, Nhlanhla Ngwenya said: “Some bad provisions have gone, but we are still to do a full stocktake of the new Bill, which has been rechristened.”
The Bill was sent to the AG’s Office in June and drafting is expected to be completed by September before being gazetted for debate in Parliament. - Newsday
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