Agreement for the Suppression of the Circulation of Obscene Publications

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The Agreement for the Suppression of the Circulation of Obscene Publications is a multilateral anti-pornography treaty that was initially negotiated and concluded in Paris in 1910. It was amended by a 1949 Protocol. As of 2013, the treaty has 57 state parties.

Contents

The treaty was concluded on 4 May 1910 in Paris and was initially entitled the Agreement for the Repression of Obscene Publications. The treaty was initially agreed to by a number of states, including France, Germany, Austria-Hungary, Russia, and Great Britain. Through the treaty, the states agreed to designate a government authority tasked with sharing with the other states information regarding obscenity offences "where the various acts constituting the offence have taken place in different countries". The treaty applied to "obscene writings, designs, pictures or objects". In 1923, states agreed to criminalise the creation, distribution, and trade of obscene works via the Convention for the Suppression of the Circulation of and Traffic in Obscene Publications.

In 1948, the United Nations General Assembly agreed to a Protocol which would amend the 1910 treaty. On 4 May 1949 at Lake Success, New York, the Protocol was signed by a number of states. Ultimately, the Protocol was ratified by 35 states, which caused the revised treaty to come into force on 1 March 1950. One of the changes made by the Protocol was the name of the treaty. As of 2013, the 1949 version of the treaty remains in force and has 57 state parties.

Signatures and ratifications of the 1910 treaty

The following states ratified the 1910 treaty:

StateDate signedDate ratified,
acceded or succeeded
Notes
Flag of Albania (1914-1920).svg Principality of Albania
Flag of Austria-Hungary (1867-1918).svg  Austria-Hungary 19101910
Flag of Belgium (civil).svg  Belgium 19101910
Flag of Brazil (1889-1960).svg  Brazil 19101910
Flag of Bulgaria.svg  Kingdom of Bulgaria
Flag of the Republic of China.svg  Republic of China
Flag of the Czech Republic.svg  Czechoslovakia
Flag of the Czech Republic.svg  Czech Republic 1993
Flag of Denmark.svg  Denmark 19101910
Flag of Egypt (1922-1958).svg  Kingdom of Egypt
Flag of Estonia.svg  Estonia
Flag of Fiji.svg  Fiji 1971
Flag of Finland.svg  Finland
Flag of France (1794-1958).svg  French Republic 19101910
Flag of the German Empire.svg  German Empire 19101910
Flag of Ireland.svg  Irish Free State
Flag of Italy (1861-1946) crowned.svg  Kingdom of Italy 19101910
Flag of Latvia.svg  Latvia
Flag of Liberia.svg  Liberia 2005
Flag of Luxembourg.svg  Luxembourg
Flag of Monaco.svg  Monaco
Flag of the Netherlands.svg  Netherlands 19101910
Flag of Norway.svg  Norway
Flag of Poland (1928-1980).svg  Poland
Flag Portugal (1830).svg  Kingdom of Portugal 19101910
Flag of Romania.svg  Kingdom of Romania
Flag of San Marino.svg  San Marino
Flag of Slovakia.svg  Slovakia 1993
Flag of Spain (1785-1873 and 1875-1931).svg  Spain 19101910
Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg  Switzerland 19101910
Flag of Thailand.svg  Thailand
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 19101910
Flag of Zimbabwe.svg  Zimbabwe 1998

Ratifications of the 1949 treaty

StateDate ratified,
acceded or succeeded
Notes
Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia 1949
Flag of Austria.svg  Austria 1950
Flag of Belarus.svg  Belarus 1998
Flag of Belgium (civil).svg  Belgium 1952
Flag of Burma (1948-1974).svg  Burma 1949
Flag of Cambodia.svg  Cambodia 1959
Canadian Red Ensign (1921-1957).svg  Canada 1949
Flag of the Republic of China.svg  Republic of China 1949This ratification is currently in force for the People's Republic of China. Upon resuming the exercise of sovereignty over Hong Kong in 1997, the China declared that the agreement would continue to be in force in Hong Kong.
Flag of Cuba.svg  Cuba 1983
Flag of Cyprus.svg  Cyprus 1963
Flag of the Czech Republic.svg  Czechoslovakia 1951
Flag of the Czech Republic.svg  Czech Republic 1993
Flag of Congo-Leopoldville (1960-1963).svg Democratic Republic of the Congo 1962Ratified as "Republic of the Congo".
Flag of Denmark.svg  Denmark 1950
Flag of Egypt (1922-1958).svg  Kingdom of Egypt 1949
Flag of Fiji.svg  Fiji 1971
Flag of Finland.svg  Finland 1949
Flag of France (1794-1815).svg  France 1949
Flag of Ghana.svg  Ghana 1958
Flag of Haiti (1859-1964).svg  Haiti 1953
Flag of Iceland.svg  Iceland 1950
Flag of India.svg  India 1949
State Flag of Iran (1925).svg Iran 1959
Flag of Iraq (1924-1959).svg  Iraq 1950
Flag of Ireland.svg  Ireland 1952
Flag of Italy.svg  Italy 1952
Flag of Jamaica.svg  Jamaica 1964
Flag of Jordan.svg  Jordan 1959
Flag of Lesotho (1966-1987).svg  Lesotho 1975
Flag of Liberia.svg  Liberia 2005
Flag of Luxembourg.svg  Luxembourg 1955
Flag of Madagascar.svg  Madagascar 1963
Flag of Malawi.svg  Malawi 1965
Flag of Ireland.svg  Ireland 1952
Flag of Malaya.svg Federation of Malaya 1957This ratification is currently in force for Malaysia.
Flag of Malta.svg  Malta 1967
Flag of Mauritius.svg  Mauritius 1969
Flag of Mexico (1934-1968).svg  Mexico 1952
Flag of Montenegro.svg  Montenegro 2006
Flag of the Netherlands.svg  Netherlands 1950
Flag of New Zealand.svg  New Zealand 1950
Flag of Nigeria.svg  Nigeria 1961
Flag of Norway.svg  Norway 1949
Flag of Pakistan.svg  Pakistan 1951
Flag of Romania (1948-1952).svg  Romania 1950
Flag of Yugoslavia (1992-2003); Flag of Serbia and Montenegro (2003-2006).svg  Serbia and Montenegro 2001Ratified as the "Federal Republic of Yugoslavia". This ratification is currently in force for Serbia.
Flag of Sierra Leone.svg  Sierra Leone 1962
Flag of Slovakia.svg  Slovakia 1993
Flag of the Solomon Islands.svg  Solomon Islands 1981
Flag of South Africa (1928-1994).svg  South Africa 1950
Flag of the USSR (1936-1955).svg  Soviet Union 1949This ratification is currently in force for the Russian Federation.
Flag of Ceylon.svg Sri Lanka 1949Ratified as "Ceylon".
Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg  Switzerland 1949
Flag of Tanganyika (1961-1964).svg  Tanganyika 1962This ratification is currently in force for Tanzania.
Flag of Trinidad and Tobago.svg  Trinidad and Tobago 1966
Flag of Turkey.svg  Turkey 1950
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 1949
Flag of Yugoslavia (1946-1992).svg  Yugoslavia 1953
Flag of Zambia.svg  Zambia 1974

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