The recently enacted law criminalizes selling material featuring adult performers who appear youthful and Hustler Europe, the European subsidiary of Larry Flynt’s flagship company, is taking legal action.
“This new law not only affects ‘Barely Legal,' Helen Clyne, Hustler Europe managing director, told XBIZ. “Parody is protected by the First Amendment in the U.S. but not in Germany.”
The law, section 184c of the German criminal code, was enacted this month and the company lodged a constitutional complaint Nov. 5 in Germany’s Federal Constitutional Court seeking an injunction. The complaint asks the court to strike down the law on the grounds that it violates Germany’s constitutionally protected rights to freedoms of opinion, occupation and property.
Until the court rules, Hustler Europe is barred from distributing “Barely Legal,” “Not the Brady XXX” series and “This Ain’t the Munsters XXX."