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Indonesian Web porn ban draws hackers' ire

Photo of topless male model on government site taken down after 11 hours

updated 12:23 p.m. ET March 28, 2008

JAKARTA, Indonesia - Hackers protested a law banning online pornography by posting a picture of a topless male model on the Web site of Indonesia's information ministry.

"Congratulations on the law," said a message above the picture, which was posted Thursday and taken down 11 hours later, said Sukemi, a spokesman for the Communication and Information Ministry.

Sukemi, who goes by a single name, said the site's security had since been strengthened.

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Parliament passed the law Tuesday that makes accessing or posting pornographic Web sites punishable by up to 12 years in jail or a fine of up to 1 billion rupiah, equivalent to $107,000. It also bans the posting or accessing of gambling sites and threatening material.

The law comes amid an ongoing debate in Indonesia, which has more Muslims than any other country, on how to stop the distribution of pornographic materials. The issue has become a rallying cry for the country's small but vocal hardline Muslim fringe.

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