The Malta Secret Service has officially refuted claims made by the Chamber of Advocates regarding the alleged surveillance of legal consultations at the Corradino Correctional Facility.

In a rare public statement released through the Department of Information on Tuesday, the agency characterised the accusations as entirely groundless, maintaining that it has never monitored, recorded, or targeted meetings protected by attorney-client privilege.

This controversy ignited on June 15 when the Chamber of Advocates reported that a 2021 ministerial warrant allegedly permitted the installation of listening devices in prison visitation rooms, including those used for legal counsel.

Chamber president Peter Fenech cited confidential, sworn testimony from a former prison director, suggesting the existence of a systemic and improper surveillance operation targeting rooms reserved for high-risk detainees.

The government's legal representative has firmly rejected these claims, labeling them as false assumptions and criticizing the Chamber for what it described as an unjust attack on state institutions.

In response to the initial allegations, legal professionals held a court boycott this past Monday, refusing to participate in proceedings across Malta and Gozo.

The Secret Service concluded its statement by emphasising its respect for legal professional privilege, noting that such protections are fundamental to the rule of law and are safeguarded by both the Maltese Constitution and the European Convention on Human Rights.