Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1035530
maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 3 OCTOBER 2018 5 NEWS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 And that is what Mifsud, his client and the other defence lawyer, Neil Falzon, did again yesterday after the court sit- ting was over. Before the sitting be- gan, Magistrate Joe Mifsud warned the lawyer not to talk to the press. "If there's some- one in favour of freedom of expression it's me, but we must be fair and let the courts decide… it's not fair on the people to give a certain im- pression when processes are underway." Cases are to be decided in the courtroom, not in the press, the magistrate said. Magistrate Mifsud protest- ed at the fact that the defence had filed an application just an hour before the sitting, asking that the court order the prosecution to close its evidence. Meanwhile, the case itself remains stalled as the At- torney General's office waits for replies to rogatory letters sent to the Dutch authori- ties. "It is a Dutch problem that the papers didn't arrive," the court clarified, explaining that the system had changed and the Dutch authorities didn't want rogatory letters, but had asked to use a differ- ent procedure. "I encourage the Dutch au- thorities to work quickly. It's not the AG's fault, it's a bu- reaucratic issue," the magis- trate added. But the magistrate insisted that he would not "wait for eternity". "I have a date in mind and I will stick to it," he said. The magistrate added that he had spoken to a number of law- yers from the Office of the Attorney General, includ- ing deputy Attorney General Philip Galea Farrugia and said he was convinced that they were making every effort to resolve the issue. The case continues on 19 November. Dogs outside the courthouse But this case is not playing out only in court. A frus- trated Reisch arrived to court accompanied by activists dressed up as dogs. Reisch did not hold back his frustration at the way the case has dragged on, prevent- ing the NGO from continu- ing with its rescue mission in the Mediterranean. The symbolic action that saw activists dressed up as dogs was a jibe at the undue attention that a Maltese terri- er received from Prime Min- ister Joseph Muscat over the weekend. The dog was brought ashore along with 58 rescued mi- grants. "As you know, there was a dog rescued in the last few days and this dog is very pop- ular. It seems that the life of a dog has a higher value than the life of migrants dying eve- ry day at sea," Reisch said. The Prime Minister tweeted about the dog's wellbeing, earning him criticism from various human rights NGOs for failing to even mention the state of health of the mi- grants. Meanwhile, addressing the press after leaving the court- house, Reisch commented on the six-week wait until the next sitting, insisting the ship and he will remain in a state of limbo. "I think Europe accepts dead people, for political reasons. It is completely inhumane," Reisch said. His lawyers, Cedric Mifsud and Neil Falzon noted that the court was adjourned again because the Dutch au- thorities did not send the re- plies to the questions sent to them by the prosecution. "We need to wait till the next hearing hoping that the Dutch reply to our questions, if not we look forward to be- ing able to present our argu- ments in the defence of the captain," Falzon said. Magistrate says cases are to be judged in court not in the media MV Lifeline captain Claus-Peter Reisch (centre) during a press conference outside the Law Courts in Valletta