Phyllisienne Brincat cleared of hate speech after linking disability and original sin comment

Phyllisienne Brincat has been cleared of hate speech after her comments on disabilities and original sin on TVM last year. 

In its judgment, the court determined that Brincat did not claim that disabilities were the result of sin during her appearance on the TVM show Popolin last year. Instead, the court concluded that her statements had been misinterpreted, and she was not given sufficient opportunity to clarify her views during the broadcast. 

Moreover, her remarks did not incite hatred toward individuals with disabilities.

In an October 2023 episode of Popolin, the show's host questioned Brincat, a self-described devout Christian, about what she stated while cameras weren't rolling concerning a connection between disease and original sin.  

Brincat reiterated her claim that, in accordance with the Bible, mankind was doomed when Adam and Eve introduced sin into the earth, and that illness occurs due to this form of sin. 

In his judgement, Magistrate Jean Paul Grech found that Brincat became the target of public outrage over a statement wrongly attributed to her. 

The court also noted procedural issues in her prosecution. The police superintendent who charged her admitted he had reservations and acted only under instructions from the Attorney General. 

Ultimately, the court concluded that Brincat's remarks were distorted through a combination of miscommunication, interruptions, and the framing of the discussion.

This wasn't the first time Brincat was the target of criticism due to her beliefs. In 2019, Brincat enraged parents of children with autism after broadcasting a video purporting to show a child who was 'cured' from autism.