Updated | Marlene Farrugia receives death threats from ‘fake Facebook profiles’

Partit Demokratiku leader Marlene Farrugia has received a number of death threats from fake Facebook profiles.

This was revealed by her partner and former Labour Whip Godfrey Farrugia, who said that he will file a police report about them.

“If some hot head thinks he can threaten the life of my partner, Marlene, because she expresses herself as a citizen and political party leader, then they have another thing coming,” Godfrey Farrugia said on Facebook.

He said that the death threats are coming from fake Facebook profiles, such as from one ‘Mario Baldacchino’.

“We live in a country where people enjoy fundamental rights to freedom of expression and association, and where the rule of law should reign,” he said. “We are part of Europe, where democracy serves as the shield of true freedom.”

Prime Minister Joseph Muscat, who during a press conference on Friday morning was asked about threats made against politicians and candidates, urged the electorate to remain calm and to not resort to angry words said behind the comfort zone of a keyboard.

“We all should be more responsible in what we say and how we act… someone recently said that my children should be placed in an orphanage… that hurt me. Sometimes people say thing which they don’t mean, but because they’d be caught up in the heat of the moment.

“Everyone should be careful about what they say; they might not really mean it but it’s enough to stir the pot,” Muscat said.

“However, the police must intervene whenever threats are made.”

Farrugia recently announced that he will not be contesting the upcoming election with the Labour Party, after falling out with the party leadership.

Opposition leader Simon Busuttil has urged him to contest with the Partit Demokratiku, whose candidates will be running for election on the PN ticket.