Lawyer Emmy Bezzina was reprimanded by a Magistrate today after being found recording a court sitting.

The incident took place when the court started considering a request by France for the extradition of a couple, spiritual leader Alain Schmitt and his girlfriend Laurence Liegeois, who are wanted following their escape from France two years after having been convicted of torture and ordering violence.

During the sitting, while the Magistrate was out during a break, prosecutor Donatella Frendo Dimech noticed a small white recorder on the desk in front of Dr Bezzina. She then questioned Dr Bezzina, who admitted it was a recorder.

Dr Frendo Dimech said she would immediately object to the court. Dr Bezzina said that since the court itself recorded proceedings, there was nothing wrong in him recording the sitting.

On returning, and after having been informed, Magistrate Joseph Apap Bologna warned Dr Bezzina that he had to ask for permission before making any recordings. He also ordered him to stop and said that if the recordings were used in any way, the court would consider proceedings against him.

Dr Bezzina denied that he was recording the sitting in secret and said he did this in every sitting. He then apologised for his actions.

(Voice recording of court sittings is banned under legal notice 280/2008 - Maintenance of good order in the courts of Justice. The notice says that "No persons shall...take or attempt to take any voice recording accept where allow by law or the court)

At the beginning of the sitting, Dr Frendo Dimech referred to a press conference about this case held by Dr Bezzina on Friday and said that cases were made in court, not before the press.

Dr Bezzina said that at the time his client, Mr Schmitt, had not been notified about the sitting.

Superintendent Abraham Zammit, Director of Prisons, told the court that Mr Schmitt had in fact been notified of the case on Friday itself.

Dr Bezzina complained that his client was made to sleep naked in a cold cell for four days, despite having a major injury to one of his legs, related to diabetes.

The court ordered that Mr Schmitt should be examined by a doctor.

The case continues on January 22.

See also:

Lawyer complains about clients' treatment in custody at:

http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20100116/local/lawyer-complains-about-clients-treatment-in-custody