Front’s Media Bill Amendments Accepted by Government

Press Release – Front Against Censorship – 15/11/2017

Front’s Media Bill Amendments Accepted by Government

The Front Against Censorship wishes to express its satisfaction at the fact that the Government has accepted the majority of its amendments to the Media and Defamation Bill.

When the Government had proposed the Bill last February, the Front had opposed it on a number of grounds. From March onwards the Front has been engaged in intensive discussion with the Government with the aim of reaching an agreement over the contents of the Bill. These extensive efforts have now borne fruit and the Government has now accepted the Front’s proposals.

The measures which had been proposed by the Front and which have been accepted by the Government are the following.

1. Repeal of Criminal Libel and Criminal Defamation. Libel and Slander will now be tried exclusively in a Civil Court.

2. Damages awarded for Libel to remain at €11,646.87 instead of being doubled to €20,000.

3. Repeal of Obscene Libel – thus completing reform of artistic censorship laws.

4. Single Publication Rule – only one libel suit can be filed per story.

5. Universal Protection of Sources – to be extended to all authors.

6. Garnishees not to be granted in cases of Libel and Slander.

7. Law on Improper Use of Electronic Communications Networks not to apply to Libel and Slander.

8. Registration of websites will not be obligatory.

9. Criticism of the President no longer a criminal offence.

10. Reform of draconian colonial era Sedition laws.

The Front believes that these reforms represent a huge step forward in the dismantling of Malta’s censorship laws. The Front agrees wholeheartedly with more lenient libel laws since it believes that libel is too often a weapon used by powerful political and business interests to intimidate journalists exposing their wrongdoing. Despite this important reform of repressive laws the Front promises to keep vigilant against future threats to freedom of expression.

Stqarrija Stampa – Front Kontra ?-?ensura – 15/11/2017

Il-Front Kontra ?-?ensura jilqa’ b’sodisfazzjon il-fatt li l-Gvern a??etta l-ma??oranza tal-proposti tieg?u dwar l-Abbozz ta’ Ligi dwar il-Midja u l-Malfama.

Meta fi Frar li g?adda l-Gvern ?are? Abbozz ta’ Li?i sabiex jemenda il-Li?i tal-Istampa, il-Front Kontra ?-?ensura kien irrea?ixxa billi oppona dan l-abbozz fuq diversi punti. Minn Marzu li g?adda l-Gvern beda diskussjonijiet intensivi mal-Front Kotnra ?-?ensura bil-g?an li jinlta?aq ftehim fuq l-abbozz. Illum nistg?u ng?idu b’sodisfazzjon li dawn id-diskussjonijiet u x-xog?ol estensiv li g?amel il-Front f’dan ir-rigward sarraf fil-qbil tal-Gvern mal-ma??oranza tal-proposti tal-Front.

Il-proposti tal-Front li ?ew a??ettati u li sejrin jidhru fl-abbozz il-?did huma dawn li ?ejjin:

1. It-tne??ija tal-Libell Kriminali u l-In?urja Kriminali. Ka?ijiet ta’ Libell u In?urja sejrin jibdew jinstemg?u biss f’Qorti ?ivili.

2. Id-danni li jistg?u jintreb?u waqt Libell ?ivili sejrin jibqg?u €11,646.87 minflok jirduppjaw g?al €20,000.

3. It-tne??ija tal-Libell Oxxen, li sejjer i?ib fi tmiemu ir-re?im ta’ ?ensura artistika.

4. Regola ta’ Pubblikazzjoni Wa?danija – storja wa?da issa sejra to?loq kaw?a ta’ libell wa?da biss.

5. Protezzjoni tas-Sors Universali – l-awturi kollha issa sejrin igawdu mill-protezzjoni tas-sorsi.

6. Mhux sejrin jing?ataw mandati ta’ sekwestru fejn jid?lu kaw?i ta’ Libell u In?urja.

7. Il-Li?i dwar l-U?u Mhux Xieraq ta’ Apparat Elettroniku mhux sejra tapplika aktar fejn jid?lu l-kaw?i ta’ Libell u In?urja.

8. Ir-Re?istrazzjoni tas-siti mhux sejra tkun obbligatorja.

9. Il-kritika lejn il-President mhux sejra tibqa’ offi?a kriminali.

10. A??ornament tal-Li?ijiet Kolonjali tas-Sedizzjoni.

Dawn ir-riformi huma pass kbir ‘il quddiem, g?aliex ikomplu j?armaw u jtaffu l-li?ijiet ta’ ?ensura f’pajji?na, b’mod spe?jali fejn jid?lu il-li?ijiet tal-libell. Il-Front Kontra ?-?ensura jaqbel li l-li?ijiet tal-libell g?andhom ikunu anqas ?orox g?aliex ?afna drabi dawn huma arma b’sa??itha li tintu?a minn politi?i u negozjanti kbar kontra dawk il-?urnalisti li jikxfu l-im?ieba ?a?ina tag?hom. Minkejja din ir-riforma importanti fejn jid?lu dawn il-li?ijiet ripressivi, il-Front iwieg?ed li sejjer jibqa’ attent g?al kull theddid ie?or lejn il-liberta’ tal-espressjoni li tista’ titfa??a fil-?ejjieni.

Mark Camilleri

Website Editor
Historian and Publisher