Chief Justice Silvio Camilleri has denied requests for the court to “cease to function”.
The action, proposed yesterday, was to take place with immediate effect and continue until the Police Commissioner and Attorney General were asked to resign.
The letter proposing the move, seen by the Times of Malta, criticised the court’s “deafening silence” in light of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia’s murder, insisting that judiciaries should have led the way during Sunday’s justice demonstration.
“We did not deign to be seen standing up to be counted; and we still don’t, as yet,” the letter said.
It then went on to accuse the courts of acting like the Police Commissioner and Attorney General, by “folding their hands and doing nothing” about accusations against the two.
We did not deign to be seen standing up to be counted; and we still don’t, as yet
The e-mail letter, circulated among lawyers, was eventually forwarded to the Chief Justice with the title: “Wake-up call – Let us all stand up and be counted.”
Mr Camilleri shot down the proposal, saying that the move is “unbefitting of our judicial role.”
Read: Thousands demand resignation of Police Commissioner, Attorney General
Speaking to the Times of Malta, the author of the letter, who insisted on anonymity, said that he was disappointed by Dr Camilleri’s reaction.
The collective conscience is that the rule of law continues to be undermined, the author said, insisting that judiciaries needed to act on the collective sentiment.
It went on to criticise lawyers for performing their duties the day after the protest “as though nothing took place”.
The author insisted that the judiciaries should refrain from calling for the resignation of the Prime Minister, saying that doing so would only serve to bring further friction and animosity.
The Prime Minister was only elected a few months ago by a substantial majority of the population, the letter continued, arguing his resignation would instil hatred between voters. In spite of the Chief Justice’s reaction, social media posts were still calling for a lawyers’ strike this Friday.
“If the judges and magistrates are not going to strike, it is now up to us lawyers to do so,” the social media post said.
Speaking to the Times of Malta, the Chamber of Advocates and the author of the letter denied being informed of the action.