[attach id=300651 size="medium"]Justice Parliamentary Secretary Owen Bonnici.[/attach]
Revising the press law is on the government’s agenda but changes will be made to strengthen the freedom of journalists, according to Owen Bonnici.
The Justice Parliamentary Secretary was reacting to Magistrate Carol Peralta’s statement that he will be writing to the government to call for changes in the Press Act in the wake of an altercation with a journalist.
Dr Bonnici said the revision was being done independently of the magistrate’s call and will follow the principles enshrined by the European Court of Human Rights.
In a statement issued on Saturday night Dr Peralta said he will be writing to the parliamentary secretary to protest against the existing Press Act. “I will be asking for the press laws to be revised to reflect the realities of a modern country in the EU”.
This initiative was welcomed by sister newspaper The Sunday Times of Malta, which in an editorial note said any such reform that reflected the realities of a modern EU state would mean more freedom.
A balance between giving Dr Peralta a fair hearing and the need for speed
It is unlikely that this is what Dr Peralta had in mind after ordering the arrest of a Times of Malta journalist, who went to report on a party the magistrate held in his Valletta courtroom.
Dr Peralta remained unrepentant despite widespread condemnation of his actions, including from the Prime Minister and Dr Bonnici, and calls for his resignation by the Opposition and Alternattiva Demokratika.
The matter now rests with the Commission for the Administration of Justice after Dr Bonnici asked President George Abela, who heads the commission, to investigate the magistrate’s behaviour.
Asked yesterday whether he will consider putting forward an impeachment motion, Dr Bonnici said at this stage he preferred to allow the commission to reach its own conclusions.
“A balance has to be found between giving Dr Peralta the right to a fair hearing and the need for speed to determine the outcome of the case,” he said.
Dr Bonnici said the government would abide by any decision taken by the commission and insisted the people expected the investigation to be “a quick one”.
Last Thursday, when the incident took place, Dr Bonnici said the arrest of Times of Malta journalist Ivan Martin was “abusive and illegal”.
Dr Abela said the commission will meet to consider the case later on this week.