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Sunday 13 March 2011

Obscene Language/Profanity Laws

Q: What law says that it is illegal to curse in Trinidad & Tobago?

A: According to Section 49 of the Summary Offences Act Chapter 11:02;

Any person making use of any insulting, annoying or violent language with intent to, or which might tend to provoke any other person to commit a breach of the peace... or to the annoyance of any resident or person in [public]... is liable to a fine of TT$200 or imprisonment for 30 days.


This is a breach of one's freedom of expression in blatant contravention of Section 4(i) of Trinidad and Tobago's constitution. The only limit on obscene language should be when it incites, or has the potential to incite violence.


This is a very oppressive law.