FALZON v. MALTA - 45791/13 (Judgment : Article 10 - Freedom of expression-{general} : Fourth Section)

This judgment will become final in the circumstances set out in Article 44 § 2 of the Convention. It may be subject to editorial revision.

Ganna Yudkivska, President, Vincent A. De Gaetano, Paulo Pinto de Albuquerque, Faris Vehabović, Egidijus Kūris, Carlo Ranzoni, Marko Bošnjak, judges, and Andrea Tamietti, Deputy Section Registrar,

. On 6 May 2007 Dr Michael Falzon (referred to hereinafter as M.F., for ease of reference - as he has the exact same name as the applicant), the deputy leader of the Malta Labour Party (MLP), delivered a speech in public, which was reported on the national media. During the speech he informed the public that he had received an anonymous email and threatening letters, in respect of which he had complained directly to the Commissioner of Police (CoP). He furthermore referred to the discussion he had had with the latter during which he had asked him to investigate the issue.

. The most relevant parts of the speech read as follows (translation done by the Registry):

"...But the fact that today, one opens the newspaper Illum , front page, and reads the editorial by S.B., who chose to speak about a pending police investigation, about an anonymous email that I received and about a threatening letter that I received... this is a level which should not be acceptable in our country. And whoever is behind these stories - wherever he might be - and let me be clear - wherever he might be - he should be ashamed...ashamed!