Culture Minister Owen Bonnici and Home Affairs Minister Byron Camilleri have presented the first reading of a bill that they say will strengthen the freedom of artistic expression. 

The proposed legal reform follows police and court action against three artists who were the subject of criminal complaints by evangelical River of Love paster Gordon John Manché.

No details of the content of the bill, entitled "to continue strengthening the freedom of artistic expression", have been released.  

The first reading is the initial step in the parliamentary process to enact legislation and came hours after Prime Minister Robert Abela announced the legislative reform was to be tabled.

After tabling the bill, Culture Minister Owen Bonnici said the government is "going to walk the talk". Camilleri said that the government “pushes for the liberty of freedom of speech”.

The bill was tabled through a motion and without any notice.

PN whip Robert Cutajar said the PN accepted the motion without knowing the content of the document and asked for a copy as soon as possible.

Last week, Teatru Malta’s artistic director Sean Buhagiar was questioned by the police after he described Manché' as "the world's biggest asshole" and repeated a satirical quip about carpet bombing River of Love.

Comedian Daniel Xuereb and satirist Matt Bonanno had earlier been reported to the police by Manché for similar comments and are facing court action.

In a comedy sketch, Xuereb had picked up on the evangelical pastor's views against anal sex. 

“We need to listen to what he has to say. I think he is right; I think he is right. As Malta’s biggest asshole, I think he knows what he is talking about," Xuereb had quipped. 

They will face charges of insulting Manché and misusing electronic equipment.

Legal experts have told Times of Malta that police often "err on the side of caution" and issue court charges when someone reports being insulted, as they rely on the decision of the magistrate, rather than weeding out unfounded complaints.