The government’s bill to repeal criminal defamation law includes anti-Constitutional heresy

The government’s bill to repeal the criminal defamation law includes a very grave anti-Constitutional heresy which the drafter of the bill, Stefan Frendo, included at the specific request of the Justice Minister, in full knowledge of the fact that it falls foul of the law.

This is that when the criminal defamation law is repealed, all cases of criminal defamation which are still pending before the courts will continue to be heard regardless. Being prosecuted for something that is no longer a crime is not just a legal absurdity but a violation of human rights.

I haven’t yet read the text that the Justice Minister put before the media a few hours ago, but this provision was in the text a few weeks ago and there is no reason to believe that it has been removed, given that the Justice Minister is so keen on having it in.

I don’t think the Opposition even knows about it, but if they do, then I hope they’re preparing to blast that anti-Constitutional provision in the bill to kingdom come – because if they don’t, I’m already preparing the ground to do it myself in the Constitutional Court. But not before I’ve ripped it to shreds in print and on the internet and made sure that all the press freedom/protection of journalists organisations in Europe know about what the abusive Maltese government is planning on doing to persecute journalists some more.

“Oh, and by the way, did I mention that we’re planning to continue prosecuting journalists for criminal defamation even after the law is repealed? Baku would love that.”