I’ve asked around – apparently, he said something about hammering nails into the pope’s head. Charming.

[Daphne – No, he said nothing of the sort. It is a very bad idea to ask around about things in Malta, the land of Chinese whispers.]

Didn’t the young man threaten physical violence against the Pope, before/during the pontiff’s visit to the island?

Not sure, but if that were the case I think it would’ve justified police action.

[Daphne – No, he didn’t. And even if he had, it wouldn’t justify police action. There has to be a calculation of risk.]

La Redoute, thanks for the link.

In my view, the most important sentence in that article is:

“The European Union, which Turkey is seeking to join, and other international organizations have criticized such actions as violations of free speech.”

Joseph Muscat, Franco Debono please take note.

Good on you Daphne to question why Maltese cases do not make it to the international media and the international bodies. In part it must be our fault, because we do not draw their attention to those cases.

Who would care what happens in Tuvalu?

The pianist’s real offence was to define himself as an atheist in a religious country.

Shades of Malta today (not the newspaper).

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/02/world/europe/turkey-charges-pianist-fazil-say-over-twitter-posts.html

“The pianist, who has frequently criticized the pro-Islamic Justice and Development Party government over its cultural and social policies, publicly defines himself as an atheist — a controversial admission in Turkey, which is overwhelmingly Muslim. “

Wasn’t a writer recently prosecuted by the police for publicly criticising a magistrate who has undesirable standards in her personal and professional life?

[Daphne – Read the post again, Lupin. I asked: why do these things make the international news when they happen in Turkey but never when they happen in Malta? I meant the arrest, arrest and prosecution of somebody for ‘insulting religion’. It is reported internationally when it happens in Turkey or North Africa, but is never reported internationally when it happens in Malta, as when that young man a couple of years ago was prosecuted for posting a remark about the Pope on Facebook. It’s THE PROSECUTION that’s shocking, which is why it is reported in terms of NEWS VALUE by the major agencies. And you want the same thing to be done to people for insulting Christians? But it is done, in Malta at least. And it’s wrong.]

Because they are still playing the old Byzantine game: the enemy of my enemy is my friend.

[Daphne – Only a couple of years ago, a young man was prosecuted and fined for posting a remark about the Pope on Facebook.]