The police case against Pmnews and the video we had with Matthew Grech.

PM News Malta on Wednesday, April 6, 2022, broadcasted a Discussion program where the guest was Matthew Grech. The latter described himself as an Ex-Gay, Secretary of the ABBA Party (Maltese Political Party), and representative of the IFTCC (International Federation for Therapeutic Counseling Choice).

A few days after this program was launched, PM News was sued through its main presenters and cioe’ Mario Camilleri and Rita Bonnici.

The people who filed the report are Silvan Aguis who lives in Rabat, Malta; Christian Attard from Mosta and Cynthia Chircop from Mġarr.

These three people who apparently made the report, and in which the presenters of PM News were summoned to appear before the Court:

According to the information that PM News has, Silvan Aguis holds the post as a member (Expert) of the European Commission. The postion Aguis holds, involves professional views on experiences in Equality and against Discrimination which is embraced by the competent authorities of Malta and which includes the Body of Equality and Civil Society.

Silvan Aguis also leads the strategic development, planning and implementation, organizational development, and equality within the LGTBIQ and particularly on ‘Trans’ and Intersexual rights, Equality between sexes, Integrating Equality and Intersectionality.

Mr. Aguis was also serving several positions before this last position that was given to him.

Mr. Christian Attard was the other person who made this report to the police about the main presenters of PM News and their guest.

Attard is a founding member of the Malta Gay Rights Movement (MGRM) and was a Board Member of the same Organization between 2001 and 2007. He is currently an official of the European Parliament.

In the Acts of this case, in the first appearance before the Court on Friday, February 3, 2023, The proceedings in the case were suspended after PM News presented documentation through their lawyer stating that the presenters of PM News were separate from any comments made by Matthew Grech and therefore the case was suspended from the Court to consider the request if it should separate the charges between Matthew Grech and the presenters of PM News .

In the Acts of the case there was an Affidavit presented by PC 2430 Neil Farrugia who says under oath:

”following an advertisement that was broadcast on a program on April 6 on Facebook Live during which Matthew Grech was introduced as the general secretary of “ABBA” and local representative of the International Federation for Therapeutic & counseling Choice. This is an organization that promotes and provides conversion practices. They also have a website called IFTCC.org. During the program Matthew Grech advertised these practices and promoted their effectiveness, both the program and the advertisement are against the provisions of article 3aiii of chapter 567 of the laws of Malta”.

This Affidavit appears to have been signed by PC 2430 Neil Farrugia who is a member of the Malta Police Force, stationed in the Rabat Police Station, Malta.

Cynthia Chircop is a member of MGRM (Malta LGTBIQ Rights Movement) was also one of those who reported PM News and Matthew Grech (we want to emphasize that through their lawyer PM News said that they do not wish to be in the same accusation and combined with Matthew Grech).

In an Affidavit signed by Sergeant PS 2224 Susanne Mifsud, stationed at the Mosta police station, it was stated that she was informed by PC 1361 from the Cyber Crime section, and he was notified of this report in order to preserve the program recording and this will eventually be exhibited before the Court.

We want to specify that since the case did not start upon the exception raised by the lawyer of the Directors of PM News, Dr. Emmy. D. Bezzina, as described above, we are not going to elaborate on these details because there is a hearing fixed before the Court for June 9, 2023, from 10a.m onwards.

The case is being heard in Courtroom number 11, by Magistrate Dr. Monica Vella

The copyright of this program belongs only to Pmnews. In the event that the video or any material is stolen and uploaded without permission, Pmnews will take legal action against whoever does so.