The government is introducing tough new measures to protect children from exploitation, including child porn.
Justice and Home Affairs Minister Carm Mifsud Bonnici said today that the changes target participation by children in sexual acts with other persons, the enticement of children to take part in or be present for sexual activities and child porn. In such cases, the prison term is being raised to up to five years.
He said the law will include a better definition of indecency, including photos and audio visual material.
He said that all Maltese citizens or persons in Malta who produce, allow the production of, or are involved in the distribution of indecent material involving children will be committing a crime and be subject to imprisonment for between 18 months and five years.
Conviction for the possession of child porn will carry a prison term of up to three years. That includes scenes of bestiality, brutality, sadistic acts and torture involving children. The prison term increases in certain instances.
Enticement of children to prostitution, through the internet will, on conviction, be liable for a prison term of between 12 months and two years.
Dr Mifsud Bonnici said that in this context, the legal definition of vulnerable persons will include all people under 15 years old, all those who suffer from some sort of physical or mental disease and other categories as defined by the courts.
He said that the punishment will increase when it is shown that the enticement of children, through the internet, to commit a crime involves vulnerable persons and when the crime results in physical or mental harm. There will also be increased punishment when more people are involved in the commission of the crime and when the crime is committed against persons protected by the Domestic Violence Act.
Convicted people may also be ordered not to perform any duties near children,
BAN ON TOY GUNS
Among other amendments, Dr Mifsud Bonnici said there will be a ban on the sale of toy guns.
There was a better definition of the crime of the illegal trafficking of children.
Furthermore, an action which causes the involuntary death of more than one person will henceforth be subject to a higher punishment than had there been one victim.
The law is also being amended to improve the definition of the crime of illegal possession, distribution or use of radioactive material.
Dr Mifsud Bonnici also announced higher fines for traffic violations (see separate story).