The Institute of Maltese Journalists (IGM) has issued a press release saying that that the police commissioner’s reaction to its statement about the ill-treatment of journalists and photographers during Tuesday’s incidents showed a gross misunderstanding of the function of the media in a democratic society.

In a democratic society, the journalist not only has the right, but also the duty, to report incidents like those that occurred at the detention centres, which are in the public interest, said the IGM.

It said that the authorities, including the police, had the duty to allow journalists to report comprehensively these events of public interest within agreed parameters.

The police commissioner’s statement that the media “instigated tension” with its presence in such instances and should thus not be allowed to report, was not acceptable to the IGM. This was yet an indication of the wrong forma mentis of the police and other authorities when dealing with such incidents, said the IGM.

Regarding the Croatia-Malta football match, the Institute noted that although it was MFA staff that confiscated memory cards, the police still acted abusively when they tried to stop photographers from taking photos and ordered them out of the stadium when violence was still occurring.

At no time did the police commissioner’s statement mention the agreement that had been reached between the institute and the police commissioner of the time in 2001. The police commissioner should make this agreement known to his officers.

The institute said it was ready to meet the police commissioner to discuss this incident in the light of that agreement and find a way forward. It said it was also ready to discuss a similar agreement with the army.