The Media Reform Initiative noted Saturday that support for the demand that Government launches a process of public consultation on the proposed media reform is growing in Malta as well as amongst international organisations.

These various demands for public consultation are the result of an understanding that no reform must be done without public consultation as well as that the reform being proposed by the government is full of defects and does not effectively protect journalists. These demands for public consultation also show that no one is believing government when it says that it has already carried out a public consultation.

A few days ago the government launched its proposed amendments to reform laws relating to the media, which have mostly drawn criticism largely because no consultation was extended to members of the media.

A reform which does not protect journalists

The Commissioner for Human Rights of the Council of Europe, Dunja Mijatovic, was joined by the international press freedom organisations the European Centre for Press Media Freedom and Article 19, and by the Coalition against SLAPP in Europe (CASE). An alert has also been raised on the Platform for the Protection of Journalism and Safety of Journalists, which is part of the Council of Europe’s initiative against misinformation and threats towards independent media.

These organisations are also asking that the reform conforms with international standards. This is a clear sign that they do not believe that the government proposals meet international standards for the protection of the media.

Discussions during IGM’s consultation meeting

At a public consultation meeting organised by the Institute of Maltese Journalists on Thursday evening, those present supported the demand that IGM has repeatedly made asking that a public consultation be held by the government on legislative reforms which affect journalists and persons active in public engagement such as activists and others.

It was apparent during the meeting that the Government is ignoring the most important of the recommendations made by the Committee of Experts, which government itself appointed. Amongst these proposals is the recommendation that journalism be entrenched in the Constitution as a pillar of democracy in that chapter which gives persons the right to claim their rights before a court.

It was also apparent during the meeting that the government’s proposals to protect journalists and activists from SLAPP suits do not even meet the minimum standards required by the European Commission’s proposed directive on this subject. The OSCE experts (that is the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe) had already twice warned the government that its proposals were problematic. The government also ignored these experts.

This takes on an even more serious character when one considers that Malta is the European country with the highest per capita cases of abusive attacks  through SLAPP suits, which burden journalists further in their work.

During this consultation meeting, in which the members of the Media Reform Initiative participated full support was expressed for the work of IGM calling for effective public consultation on the media reform laws is held and if this does not happen, for IGM no longer to form part of the Committee of Experts as appointed by government.

 

Note: The Media Reform Initiative is made up of activists working for the reform of Malta’s media system. The members are Agius Monique, Comodini Cachia Therese, Fr Joe Borg, Delia Emanuel, Fenech Natalino.