Adds comments by Front Against Censorship

The police are making inquiries about reports of transmission of hard core porn films on pay TV systems in hotels, Home Affairs Minister Carm Mifsud Bonnici has confirmed in Parliament.

Labour MP Adrian Vassallo asked the minister whether it was legal for hotels to transmit hard core films on their pay systems and if not, why the police were not taking action.

He also asked the minister to ensure that the police investigated whether programmes which were being transmitted almost daily on cable TV were pornographic. If so, he asked whether they would be stopped.

The minister said the police were making enquiries about the alleged facts.

The Front Against Censorship in a statement expressed concern about the police enquiries.

"The Front believes that this investigation is a draconian measure which further proves that Maltese laws are outdated with respect to European democratic standards. The Front has already proposed that the distribution of pornography should not be illegal as long as it does not involve human trafficking, the abuse of minors, the exploitation of women or any other criminal acts defined by law.

"Bearing in mind that pay per view adult channels are not accessible to children and people without credit cards, it would be extremely paternalistic of the State to interfere with what adult tourists and hotel residents can view in the privacy of their own rooms."

Front Against Censorship is composed of : Alternattiva Demokratika Żgħażagħ Forum Żgħażagħ Laburisti Kollettiv Ir-Realtà General Workers Union Youths Unifaun Theatre Productions Moviment Graffitti Żminijietna MOVE Pulse Kunsill Studenti Junior College Il-Kunsill Nazzjonali taż-Żgħażagħ Writers Club