Section 206: Outrage against public and religious morality

206. Outrage against public and religious morality (1) (a) Any person who— (i) by words, exclamations or threats used in a public place or meeting; [Issue 2] C57 – 52 Revised Laws of Mauritius (ii) by any writing, newspaper, pamphlet or other printed matter, or by any drawing, engraving, picture, emblem or image, sold or distributed or put up for sale or exhibited in any public place or meeting; or (iii) by any placard or handbill exhibited for public inspection, commits any outrage against any religion legally established, or against good morals or against public and religious morality (la morale publique et religieuse), shall, on conviction, be liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 2 years and to a fine not exceeding 100,000 rupees. (b) Matters of opinion on religious questions, decently expressed or written, shall not be deemed to be an outrage. (2) Any person who hawks for sale, or circulates, or exhibits any such writing, newspaper, pamphlet, or other printed matter, drawing, engraving, picture, emblem or image, placard or handbill, shall, on conviction, be liable to the penalty specified in subsection (1). (3) The copies of any obscene writing, newspaper, pamphlet, or other printed matter, drawing, engraving, picture, emblem or image, placard or handbill, which are exposed to public view, or hawked for sale, may be seized and forfeited. (4) The Public Officers’ Protection Act shall apply to subsection (3). [S. 206 amended by Act 29 of 1990; Act 5 of 1999; s. 8 of Act 36 of 2008 w.e.f. 6 December 2008.]