The Labour Party and Alternattiva Demokratika welcomed a court decision confirming the acquittal of student newspaper editor Mark Camilleri and writer Alex Vella Gera, who were charged over an explicit short story.

Labour culture spokesman Owen Bonnici said action should never have been taken against those who published the fictional story just because it was not what society wanted to hear.

Dr Bonnici said the Prime Minister and his party’s media took an “extremist” position in favour of censorship and Law­rence Gonzi should at the very least issue a genuine apology to the artistic community.

Dr Gonzi should also move to revise article 208 of the Criminal Code, under which the charges were filed.

AD noted it was the only party that stood for modernisation of censorship laws. “This is another milestone towards artistic freedom of expression and a more democratic and secular Malta,” it said.

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