A journalist who was jailed for three months 43 years ago on a criminal libel conviction was today awarded compensation of €5,000 by the constitutional court.

Joseph Calleja, who used to head the satirical newspaper In-Niggieża, was convicted of libel following comments about then minister Guze' Cassar.

During the court case, Mr Calleja had apologised for his satirical comments and offered to print a retraction. 

The court today ordered compensation after ruling that the case should have been heard before a civil and not a criminal court and that the punishment was not proportionate or reasonably justified in a democratic society. 

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