Indonesian Task Force Head Wants To Define Miniskirts As Pornographic

In Indonesia, religious affairs minister Suryadharma Ali is heading a new task force set up to enforce a strict anti-pornography law that was enacted in 2008 with the backing of Islamic parties. (Background.) According to The National today, Suryadharma wants to draw up "a set of universal criteria" on what constitutes pornography. He says it would include women wearing skirts above the knee. The law imposes a penalty of up to 12 years in prison for "pictures, sketches, photos, writing, voice, sound, moving picture, animation, cartoons, conversation, gestures, or other communications shown in public with salacious content or sexual exploitation that violate the moral values of society." Suryadharma's proposal follows a threat by Parliament's speaker Marzuki Alie to exclude female politicians wearing short skirts.