Berlin, Sep 17 (IANS): The German cabinet Wednesday approved a draft law which strengthens the penalty against anyone convicted of possessing child pornography.

The new bill, drafted by German Justice Minister Heiko Maas, would extend the statute of limitations for prosecuting child pornography cases as well as increase the term of imprisonment for possessing child pornography, Xinhua reported.

In addition, Maas has called attention to the need to expand the definition of child pornography to include nude pictures taken without a child or parent's consent, even if the said pictures were not previously classified as child pornography and have been circulating in paedophile circles.

Those who make and disseminate such "unauthorised" nude pictures could also be punished in the future, according to Maas's measures.

The subject of child pornography came to the forefront within the German government in February this year, when news broke that Sebastian Edathy, a member of the German parliament, was being investigated on charges of possessing child pornography.

Edathy was formally charged in July, though he has denied the allegations.