Christian Peregin
'God forbid' student editor goes to prison - Joseph Muscat
Labour leader Joseph Muscat yesterday joined the chorus of criticism against censorship, saying that it was "unacceptable" for a student to be facing a potential prison term for publishing an "opinion" in a newspaper.
"I'm bringing this up now because we have been told there is the intention to take this person to court and possibly, God forbid, put him in prison."
Dr Muscat did not delve into the merits of the fictional article in question but said he was willing to defend the student's freedom of expression.
"Censorship is anachronistic... and having the authorities threaten a student with a prison term is unacceptable," he said, criticising the attitude of the authorities about this case.
Last week, the police confirmed they would be taking action against Mark Camilleri, a 21-year-old history student who published a graphic short story about sexual violence in the newspaper he edits, ir-Realta.
His newspaper was banned at University and Mr Camilleri is now being charged with distributing obscenities and "injuring" public morals.
The Ministry of Education and Culture has said it is planning a revamp of censorship laws, through a draft policy to be launched in February.
Labour's spokesman for culture Owen Bonnici said he welcomed the fact that the Culture Minister was now speaking "in no uncertain terms" about the need to update censorship rules.
"I'm saying this because, in the beginning, Dolores Cristina used to say censorship fell under the Justice Ministry," said Dr Bonnici, who has drawn up a Private Member's Bill about censorship.
He was also happy that, as far as he knew, the Minister's committee of experts had agreed with the removal of censorship, and he hoped that the Minister's recommendation to "update laws to reflect 21st century reality" would mean the abolition of censorship.
If the government does nothing about censorship by May, he will present his Bill.
"I am ready to collaborate as much as possible to create one Bill that satisfies everyone. I want to throw censorship out of the window completely but I want it to be a collective effort in Parliament," he said.
However, Dr Bonnici stressed that censorship in the domain of literary and artistic expression should not be confused with laws relating to indecency, obscenities and offensiveness.
"Those are laws that we've actually strengthened recently - especially when it comes to offending religion and gay people. Censorship is about a board which decides whether something should be allowed to be watched or not - such as in the case of the banned play Stitching."
When it comes to obscenity laws in the Criminal Code, he feels the police should "learn a lesson" from the case of Realta' so as not to prosecute individuals for their literary works.
He also feels that the decision of the University to ban the newspaper was "hugely obscene", especially in its context as a university.
"I was very surprised and I couldn't understand why it was banned. In foreign universities the first thing you see is a flier showing the President doing a moonie," he joked.
Although he felt the Realta' story actually had no literary value and failed to get its message across, he said it did not offend public morals and the case should be thrown out.
He said the criminal code empowers the police to take action on public morality but this should not be done in the context of a literary work - even if it is not of any value.
Meanwhile, Alternattiva Demokratika, which has already expressed solidarity with the student editor, said it was heartening to hear Dr Muscat and the Labour party "finally come on board" on the issue, showing real EU credentials.
"It is now time to pass from words to deeds and AD therefore expects the PL to present a private member's bill on the reform of censorship in Parliament in the coming days."
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Nikki Zahra
Jan 12th 2010, 07:35
Our very own Tiananmen! The difference is that the forces in favour of this censorship are ideologically opposed to communism...
Well done for your timely intervention Dr. Muscat!
Until now, I was under the impression that we Maltese were getting less and less liberal and tolerant with every passing day. How easy it is to control the people's minds and ideas by getting them all to chant and repeat ensemble in timely fashion... Very convenient for those at the top too... An ideological walk-over!
e muscat
Jan 11th 2010, 23:12
Mela se nintroducu il Qorti tal poplu??????????
Dr. John Zammit
Jan 11th 2010, 19:26
The Alleanza Liberali - www.freewebs.com/liberalalliance - support Mark Camilleri, editor of "Ir-Realta" and hope that he will not be taken to the court and the case dismissed as in a European member state, Malta is different than when we were under the inquisition and so the Commissioner of Police should be very careful before certain action is taken like for instance the foreign dancers who were arrested and taken to court and after released. Things like this are making Malta the clown of Europe.
Michael Seychell
Jan 11th 2010, 17:11
The editor must have known that Blaspheming in public is illegal in Malta.
Without delving on whether rhe prose was pornographic or not, the law has been breached by a cristal clear blasphemy offending the MOTHER OF GOD, and the police must therefore act accordingly.
This was not a case of swearing in public, intentionally or not. This was a deliberate blasphemy written when the writer had all the time in the world to decide what he was writing, whilst the editor had the same time to decide whether this offence to the Virgin Mary should be removed from the script or not.
The editor chose to leave it there, now he must shoulder responsibility for his action.
Not even if Joe Muscat was Prime Minister he could have stopped the police from taking action against the editor. In such circumstances JM is confirming that even from the opposition he is prepared to meddle in police matters, unless his talk is only meant to impress the university students to obtain their votes.
I hope and pray that the magistrate will show liniency when sentencing in case the editor is found guiltuy, and avoid to inprison him.
Michael Seychell
Tal-Pieta
c. camilleri
Jan 11th 2010, 16:03
Why try to influence our courts? This is when still in opposition, let alone when in Govt. We had a taste of this in the past.
Joseph Azzopardi
Jan 11th 2010, 15:38
Let's hope the project initiated by Owen Bonnici is seen through. Censorship is the most stupid and ineffective means of control. Most of the time it only generates interest in otherwise mediocre cultural items.
Charles Sammut
Jan 11th 2010, 14:44
" "I was very surprised and I couldn't understand why it was banned. In foreign universities the first thing you see is a flier showing the President doing a moonie," he joked."
That would still earn you a prison term in Malta, for offending The President.
Someone who compared an ex-president to Patrice Lumumba (a hero in his country) was convicted and sentenced to a suspended prison term. Now why should someone object to being compared to an African? Isn't that racist?
amifsud
Jan 11th 2010, 13:21
I love how Joseph Muscat has taken on this cause so strongly......only because it makes for some very easy "look-what-a-great-politician-I-am" points. Anybody in their right mind knows the chances of this person going to jail are practically nill anyway. So stop making such a big deal about it Mr Muscat. I really worry that this man might be close to being Prime Minister. It gives me the creeps.
Peter Green
Jan 11th 2010, 12:42
GonziPN is taking us back to the 1960s!
Joseph Sant
Jan 11th 2010, 11:54
Well done to Dr. Muscat on this great stride in PL history.
On the other hand, shame on the police for trying to mimic the Afghan religious police.
I expect Dr. Gonzi to follow suit and show solidarity with the student and also to take action to rectify such stupid censorship laws, which despite being none of his own making, fall within his power to rectify.
w.scicluna
Jan 11th 2010, 11:52
Thanks Dr. Muscat for showing an open mind. We need more people like you and I am strictly NOT being political. Its time to bring Malta out of the dark ages once and for all.
Joseph Borg
Jan 11th 2010, 10:17
Isn't this an unfair and unjust pressure on the magistrate/judge presiding over the case? I am sorry, but the LP Leader is out of line here, whether he is right or wrong. I doubt whether the guy in question will go to prison over it - well, as an editor, he should have familiarised himself with the laws in the first place!
Joseph Aquilina
Jan 11th 2010, 10:14
I really hope this bill passes very soon. I know a very “artistic” way how to describe this fellow, Joseph Muscat and any other individual or organization who dare says that offending public morals falls under the right of expression. I thought that some people had enough brain-power to understand that there are ways and ways how to present an “opinion”. I wonder how much the times-of-malta would allow this “editor” to print this article on their newspaper! Actually I’ll be surprised if they allow this to be presented on their blog. This is not some law that exists only in Malta, but in any civilized country and it is there precisely to make sure that no one gets offended.