The Office of Censorship has issued a Stop Notice ordering The Cosmopolitan Night Club to immediately cancel its planned “Pride Night” event scheduled for today (Thursday, June 4, 2026).
Chief Censor Jim Abani, acting under the Classification of Publication (Censorship) Act No. 18 of 1989, directed the nightclub to permanently withdraw the event and remove all promotional materials within 48 hours.
The notice prohibits the club from hosting or promoting any event themed around LGBTQ+ identity, culture, or practices, citing them as contrary to Papua New Guinea’s laws and public standards.
According to the Stop Notice, the advertisement for the event published on Facebook already constituted criminal offences under Sections 70(1), 73(1), and 74(1) of the Act, each carrying fines of up to K5,000 for a corporate body.
The Chief Censor further warned that proceeding with the event would amount to “wilful defiance” and trigger full enforcement action.
According to the notice, the legal basis cited includes:
Section 2(1). Definition of Objectionable Publication: A publication is objectionable if it describes, depicts, expresses or otherwise deals with matters of sex, immorality, blasphemy, or revolting or abhorrent phenomena in a manner that is likely to be offensive to a reasonable adult person in Papua New Guinea and is undesirable in the public interest. The “PRIDE NIGHT” event and all promotional material associated with it falls squarely within this definition.
Section 17 and Section 18: Powers of the Chief Censor: The Chief Censor is empowered to administer and enforce the provisions of the Act, to investigate publications and to issue binding notices and directions in respect of breaches thereof.
Section 33(2)(a) and Censorship Content Standard No. 1: All publications must conform to the standards of morality, decency and propriety generally accepted by a reasonable adult person in Papua New Guinea. Censorship Content Standard No. 1 – PUBLIC NUDITY AND SEXUAL CONTENT, Table 2, expressly classifies the promotion of homosexuality as a harmful publication constituting an unnatural act. The “PRIDE NIGHT” event constitutes such a publication.
Sections 70(1), 73(1) and 74(1). Criminal Offences: The conduct of the “PRIDE NIGHT” event would constitute ongoing and repeated commission of these offences, each carrying a maximum penalty of K5,000.00 for a body corporate, in addition to the offences already committed through the publication of the advertisement.
Section 79. Forfeiture: The Chief Censor and the Court are empowered to order the forfeiture of any objectionable publication, which would extend to all promotional materials, including digital and printed content associated with the event.
Mr. Abani warned that if the event goes ahead, the nightclub and its directors could face arrest, prosecution, forfeiture of materials, and possible revocation of its operating licence.
“The advertising alone has already constituted criminal offences under the Act. Any further conduct will be met with the full force of the law,” the notice stated.
Thank you Mr. Albany. You doing the great work. Such activities will trigger curse and God’s anger into our country. May the light of Yahweh continue to shine in our country. We cannot compromise to such practices but to stand on moral principles enforce the law prevent and banished such activities in future.
I salute you Mr. Abani for the decision you have taken. This night club needs to respect our cultures and traditions and the Christian principles we have where our Constitution is also founded on. Thank you Mr. Ambani and salute you.
Thank you Chief Censor for putting a stop to this homosexual, bisexuality and gay night in PNG especially in the heart of NCDC where cosmopolitan was about to host this so call night pride or gay pride.
Again a big tgank you and great job Chief Censor of PNG and may God bless you and our country PNG.