A 28-year-old man has been handed down a six-month prison sentence suspended for two years, after he was found guilty by an Appeals Court of spreading racial hatred with comments he posted on Facebook.

The case goes back to April 2017, when Brandon Bartolo had posted offending comments with regard to Sara Ezabe (photo), a Maltese activist who embraces Muslim beliefs. Ezabe had reported the comments to the Police.

Bartolo had offended Ezabe in an obscene manner, adding that Malta had one religion and foreigners have to adhere to the laws of Malta or go back to their country of origin.

The Magistrates’ Court had acquitted Bartolo after Ezabe was not brought to Court to give evidence, but the Attorney General had appealed the sentence.

The Court of Appeal, Madam Justice Consuelo Scerri Herrera presiding, ruled that despite Ezabe’s lack of evidence, it was clear that Bartolo’s comment was offending and instigated racial hatred.