‘Are We In North Korea?’: Maltese Journalists Who Interviewed Matthew Grech Charged With ‘Promoting Conversion Therapy’
Police have charged two Maltese journalists who interviewed River of Love musician Matthew Grech with promoting “gay conversion therapy”.
Mario Camilleri and Rita Bonnici, from the PMNews media outlet, were charged in court today, along with Grech himself. The journalists, who are being represented by lawyer Emmy Bezzina, are pleading not guilty.
Camilleri told Lovin Malta that they were charged over a recent interview with Grech, in which the musician said he stopped being gay after realising it was incongruent with the teachings of the Bible.
The interview was filmed live on PMNews’ Facebook page but is no longer available as the social media giant deleted the original page after it filmed a speech by Imperium Europa leader Norman Lowell.
However, a transcript of the interview has been published.
Police commissioner Angelo Gafa
Camilleri said that police never told him or Bonnici which parts of the interview they considered akin to “promoting conversion therapy”.
“We can’t be held responsible for what our guest says during a live show, and the script shows we were pushing back against Matthew,” he said. “The entire script would probably read like a bad advert for conversion therapy.”
He said he couldn’t understand why the police charged him, Bonnici and Grech in a conjoint case, or why they included their personal home addresses in the charge sheet.
Camilleri warned that the charges go against freedom of the press and free expression.
“We have to fork out money from our pockets to defend our right to free journalism. Does this mean that from now on, journalists will get charged if their guests mention conversion therapy? Aren’t you allowed to speak to who you want as a journalist?”
River of Love pastor Gordon-John Manche (left) reading passages from the Bible outside court today - Photo: TVM
Camilleri said he and Bonnici aren’t members of River of Love and distanced themselves from an action carried out by pastor Gordon-John Manche, ABBA leader Ivan Grech Mintoff and others prior to today’s court sitting.
“I disagree with Matthew Grech on many issues but he has a right to speak about them and I will defend that right,” he said. “Are we turning into North Korea and becoming a dictatorship? We just want free expression to be alive.”
Cover photo: Left: Mario Camilleri and Rita Bonnici (Photo: PMNews), Right: Matthew Grech (Photo: Matthew Grech – Facebook)
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