A group of 29 authors expressed regrets about the “institutionalised curbing of free expression” in the country.

They said:

“As authors we cannot accept the implications that some power takes it upon itself to filter and decide on what can or cannot be read.

“In European Malta of the 21st century, expression should be free. Acts of censorship cast serious doubts on the respect of the fundamental rights and freedoms safeguarded by the Constitution,” they said.

The authors insisted that urgent problems like freedom of expression and the status of artists in the country be put at the forefront of the national agenda.

They said antiquated laws that could in some way hinder this freedom should be amended with immediate effect and any prosecution by the police related to these antiqueated laws had to be stopped, also with immediate effect.

“We do not object to a classification system intended as a guide for the people about levels of adult content in the different arts, but we object with all possible might to that censorship that insults the intelligence and the freedom of the Maltese people,” they said.

The authors signing the statement are John Aquilina, Clare Azzopardi , Mario Azzopardi, Simon Bartolo, Norbert Bugeja, Mark Camilleri, Charles Casha, Antoine Cassar, Charles Colerio, Noel Fabri, Lino Farrugia, Charles Flores, Francis Galea, Sergio Grech, Maria Grech Ganado, Adrian Grima, Simone Inguanez, Gorġ Peresso, Ray Mahoney, Ġorġ Mallia, Albert Marshall, Immnuel Mifsud, Kevin Saliba, Andrew Sciberras, Karl Schembri, Loranne Vella, Vince Vella, Alex Vella Gera and Trevor Żahra.