Bis-Serjetá Satirist Was Clearly Joking And Shouldn’t Have Been Charged, Evarist Bartolo Warns
Former Foreign Affairs Minister Evarist Bartolo has called out the prosecution of Bis-Serjetá satirist Matt Bonanno over a joke that police interpreted as a threat against River of Love as an attack on free speech.
“[River of Love pastor] Gordon–John Manché got offended by an obviously satirical comment that Bonanno wrote a year ago and reported him to the police,” Bartolo wrote.
“Bonanno has criticised several high-ranking people over the past 12 years. Democracies are measured by how much they can tolerate criticism and stinging comments and we have progressed a lot in this area.”
“Whereas journalists were once jailed over caricatures and media houses closed down for politicians and public officials, we have now scrapped censorship laws and allowed people to criticise politicians and public figures at Carnival through floats and masquerades.”
“However, there’s still work that needs to be done to improve free expression and safeguard journalists. It doesn’t make sense that someone can be jailed or fined for using the weapon of humour to pass serious commentary on current affairs.”
Bonanno announced this week that police have charged him after he jokingly wrote on his personal Facebook page last year that River of Love should be relocated to Buġibba and carpet bombed. A friend of his is also facing the same charges for similar comments.
They have been charged with the improper use of electronic equipment and with going online to threaten to commit a crime, both charges of which carry a maximum fine of €25,000.
Manché has refused to confirm whether he reported Bonanno and his friend to the police and whether he believes there is a genuine risk that the satirist could carpet bomb River of Love, telling Lovin Malta that the law should be allowed to do its work.
Bonanno has launched a fundraiser for help fighting the upcoming legal battle.
Should police scrap the charges against Matt Bonanno and his friend?
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