IGM calls on government not to reinstate the law against defamation

The Malta Institute of Journalists called on the government not to reverse course and reinstate the criminal defamation law.

“IĠM was, is and remains opposed to the idea of ​​criminal defamation. It is regrettable that individual Labour Party representatives have revived the idea of ​​reintroducing criminal defamation after it was the Labour government that removed it from the statute books in 2018,” the institute said.

In her last speech as leader of the Labour Party, Ramona Attard said that the decriminalisation of criminal defamation had been a mistake.

“Criminal defamation has a chilling effect on freedom of expression and on journalists due to the threat of prison sentences, and has often been used in the past by politicians and others in a harassing manner to silence journalists. Malta should not return to such a state of affairs, but instead implement reforms to provide better protection for journalists and strengthen freedom of expression,” said the IĠM.

The company said it expected the government to make a clear statement that it had no intention of reintroducing the criminal offence of defamation or increasing penalties for civil defamation.

“The clock must not be turned back,” the statement concludes.