Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/702975
6 PAUL COCKS A law punishing the vilification of the Roman Catholic religion passed its third reading in par- liament yesterday, when amend- ments to the Criminal Code, including also the decriminali- sation of pornography and the criminalisation of revenge porn, were approved. The law punishing the vilifica- tion of the Roman Catholic reli- gion had been in place since 1933. When he originally presented the amendments in February, justice minister Owen Bonnici sought to allay fears that this would allow people to incite re- ligious hatred – noting that the incitement of hatred based on religion, gender, race, sexuality, gender identity or political belief was already illegal under a more recent law and would remain so. "In a democratic country, peo- ple should be free to make fun of religions, while not inciting ha- tred," he had said. The Nationalist opposition had been harshly opposed to the proposed amendments and had accused the government of "po- litical atheism", and of adopting policies of "forced secularisation". Opposition spokesman Jason Azzopardi had referred to the deadly Paris attacks in November 2015. "There is trouble beyond our shores," he said. "I sincerely hoped that the government had since re- alized that the time was not right to introduce this law, surrounded as we are by hotheads who don't see reason." Indeed, he had stressed that the current law should be made more harsh – so as to criminalise the vilification of other religions, as well as atheism. "Atheists also have a right not to be subjected to vilification," he said. "A truly progressive mental- ity would be to protect atheists from vilification as well." Azzopardi had insisted that a person's right to freedom of ex- pression should stop at another person's right not to see their reli- gious beliefs vilified. "Freedom of expression should not mean that people are free to insult the things that I hold dear – that is diabolical logic." The new amendments also de- criminalise pornography, that is not to be mistaken for "extreme pornography", which remains il- legal and includes child pornog- raphy, rape videos, disability porn and necrophilia. Live sex shows will also be deemed to be "ex- treme porn" and therefore illegal. Bonnici had explained that the ultimate aim of the amendments was to guarantee the freedom of artistic expression – an issue that came to the fore when au- thors Alex Vella Gera and Mark Camilleri were arraigned in court on charges of obscenity for hav- ing written a sexually explicit story in a student newspaper. "We disagree with the concept of a big brother-like government that tells people what they are al- lowed to watch," he said. "There should be a red line, not to stif le artistic expression but to protect vulnerable people. We don't want the Camilleri and Vella Gera case to repeat itself." The new amendments make a legal distinction between pornog- raphy and "extreme pornography" and now make the distribution and consumption of pornography legal. Sex shops are now allowed to open and people will be allowed to display pornography in private locations – so long as they are ac- companied with clear warnings forbidding children from enter- ing. However, Bonnici insisted that the reform was in no way pro- posed to encourage people to open sex shops, and that they would only be permitted as a le- gal consequence of the removal of laws that stif le artistic expres- sion. Under the new law, anybody caught sharing revenge porn pic- tures or videos by any means will now face a maximum two years' imprisonment or a fine ranging between €3,000 and €5,000, re- gardless of whether they had dis- tributed it or continued the chain. maltatoday, WEDNESDAY, 13 JULY 2016 News HealthCare Professions Act, 2003 (Act No. XII of 2003) Elections for the Appeals Committee Nominations of Candidates It is hereby notified that, for the purpose of Regulations 4 of the Appeals Committee (Elections) Regulations 2004, the nomination/s of candidate/s to fill the post of one registered nurse OR one licensed midwife as member of the Appeals Committee, in accordance with the provisions of Section 49 of the Health Care Professions Act 2003 (Cap. 464) will be received by the Registrar of the Council for Nurses and Midwives, at the Council's Registrar office, Level 1, OPD St Luke's Hospital G'Mangia, on, Thursday 14 th July and Friday 15 th July 2016 between 9.00 a.m. and 12.00 MD(midday). The nomination forms for candidates are obtainable from the Council's Registrar Office in Malta from the 8 th July till 15 th July 2016 between 9am to 12 MD (midday). Charles Galea Adrian Farrugia Giselle Curmi Electoral Commissioner Electoral Commissioner Electoral Commissioner Parliament approves bill decriminalising porn and repealing religious vilification Parliament approves, in third reading stage, amendments to the Criminal Act that repeal legislation that censured the vilification of religion, decriminalises pornography and criminalises revenge porn Floating bar proposed off Blue Lagoon JAMES DEBONO AN application has been pre- sented to develop a f loating bar with the intention of anchoring it to the sea bed, outside swimming zone limits in various pristine locations popular with boat own- ers, including the secluded Mgie- bah beach in Selmun, the Blue Lagoon, San Niklaw, Armier, and Santa Marija Bay in Comino. The proposed bar will be set on a 104 square metres timber f loor- ing. The structure, which will also include a second level of 27 square metres, will be anchored and taken to site by a tug boat. David Sammut, who owns a boat maintenance company and filed the application, insists that the application is still at a prelim- inary stage. "This is an innovative idea which has been on my mind for a very long time… I am only seek- ing to explore its feasibility with the authorities. That is why I ap- plied for a permit. Nothing is at all definite yet". Sammut explained that the ap- plication refers to a number of lo- cations because its placing would change according to prevailing wind conditions. Asked about the environmental impact of the proposed venture, Sammut insisted that the struc- ture would have the same visual impact as a boat or a barge. He also referred to photo montages which have been presented to the Planning Authority. Sammut also confirmed that the structure will include a "re- laxing area with sun beds" and will be anchored to the seabed with four anchors. He believes a demand exists for a bar catering for the many boats frequenting beaches. In 2015 the government issued a tender with the aim of creating two f loating islands to serve as beach extensions – one in Marsal- forn and another in Marsaskala. Not a single offer was submitted for the tender issued by the Gozo Ministry to build and manage a f loating island at the area known as Banju tas-Sorijiet, in Marsal- forn, while a tender for a similar structure in St Thomas Bay, Mar- saskala, attracted just one offer. Floating bars are popular in the Caribbean and Pacific islands