Matthew Grech had his tenth criminal court hearing on Tuesday 4 February 2025, as his case entered its third year.
Matthew, an ex-gay Maltese Christian church worker, is being prosecuted for advertising ‘conversion practices’ after he shared his testimony of finding faith and leaving behind homosexuality.
The presenters of the TV interview, who are also on trial, asked Matthew about his personal story of moving away from same-sex attraction after meeting Jesus.
They also asked about his views on so-called ‘conversion therapy’, which is banned in Malta. Instead, Matthew spoke about his own personal conversion to Christ and movement away from identifying as gay. When pushed further by the interviewers, he pointed to the science and explained that sometimes when pain and trauma is addressed through normal talking therapy, same-sex attractions and gender confusion can be diminished.
Because he was introduced as a representative of the International Federation for Therapeutic and Counseling Choice (IFTCC) and mentioned the umbrella organisation, he faces the possibility of a five-month prison sentence.
‘Conversion therapy’ is a political term
At this week’s hearing, Dr Mike Davidson (from Core Issues Trust and IFTCC), who specialises in supporting those who are wanting to leave behind LGBT behaviours, gave evidence.
He testified that Grech had not received any therapy relating to his sexuality and, as such, was not an insider to this kind of therapy. Grech’s role with the IFTCC was to support the ex-LGBT community against the discrimination it faces.
Dr Davidson also explained that ‘conversion therapy’ is a political term, used to jam the conversation about sexuality and stop proper discussion about the topic. It was the equivalent to calling someone a racist in order to shut down a conversation.
In a press release commenting on the case, Dr Davison said:
“The freedoms of speech, conscience and religion are being attacked. The fact is that therapeutic and counselling choice is a fundamental right. Governments promoting monocultural viewpoints – this idea that sexual orientation is inborn and unchangeable, and that gender is unrelated to biological sex – are denying those unwilling to identify as LGBT the right to leave identities and practices no longer relevant to them. This is a human rights issue.”
Matthew Grech wrote afterwards that Davidson “brought much needed evidence before the court. [He] represented the Christian faith so well, but more than that, he stood for our God-given freedoms. I also thank Christian Concern for their practical support along this journey.”
‘You will be arrested’
On 6 April 2022, Matthew was invited by PMnews Malta, a small free-speech media platform, to share the story of how he had become a born-again Christian, which led to him leaving behind a homosexual lifestyle and unwanted same-sex attraction.
The interview was advertised on PMnews Malta’s Facebook page and the topic for the interview was chosen by the presenters of the programme. At no point during the programme did Matthew invite any listener to attend therapy or encourage anyone to get help for unwanted same-sex attraction.
Following the interview, Mr Grech received a prosecution order from Inspector Roderick Attard from the Maltese police. The order accused him of advertising “conversion practices and this breaking article 3 ( a ) ( iii ) of Chapter 567 of Maltese laws.” He was told that he would need to attend a hearing on 3 February 2023 and that if he failed to attend, he would be arrested.
Article 3 of Malta’s draconian Affirmation of Sexual Orientation, Gender and Gender Expression Act, states that:
“It shall be unlawful (a) for any person to: (i) perform conversion practices on a vulnerable person; or (ii) perform involuntary and, or forced conversion practices on a person; or (iii) advertise conversion practices; and, or (b) for a professional to: (i) offer and, or perform conversion practices on any person irrespective of whether compensation is received in exchange; or (ii) make a referral to any other person to perform conversion practices on any person.”
Lawyers argue that bringing these charges against Matthew breaches his fundamental Human Right to Freedom of Expression safeguarded under Article 41 of the Constitution of Malta and Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR).
They also argue that under Human Rights legislation derived from Malta’s obligations under the European Convention of Human Rights, as well as the free speech rights guaranteed by its own Constitution, Matthew had every right to freely share and express his story and views on unwanted same-sex attraction. They say he should therefore not be criminally charged, tried and publicly shamed for having done so.
Concerning the allegation made by the police that he had ‘advertised conversion practices’, lawyers say that at no point in his interview did Matthew direct the viewers and listeners to a counsellor, therapist or a counselling entity whose counsel or services would breach Chapter 567 of the Laws of Malta.
They say that Matthew’s sharing of his own testimony was not only an expression of his own thoughts and views on the subject matter, but also a manifestation of his Christian beliefs, which he respectfully shared with the viewers.
If he were to be convicted of a crime, Matthew’s lawyers say that freedom of the press and broadcasters in Malta is on the line, and that anyone who wants help for unwanted same-sex attraction, which is a protected characteristic, will be suppressed and driven underground.
Andrea Williams, chief executive of Christian Concern, said “it’s deeply unjust that Matthew should face criminalisation for his interview. He simply told a small online audience in Malta about his wonderful conversion to Christ, his voluntary moving away from a homosexual lifestyle and answered journalists’ questions about the efficacy and safety of therapy.
“The threat is not just to Matthew, but to the existence of free speech itself as even the broadcasters, who were clearly pro-LGBT and wanted to debate the topic, have also been prosecuted. There is no sense in this case. I hope for Matthew, Malta, and the world’s sake that he is acquitted now that this evidence has been presented.”
