Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1540561
6 maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 22 OCTOBER 2025 NEWS A collective of 194 artists including painters, ceramicists, bronzists, sculptors, photographers and others. The Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of St John of Jerusalem, of Rhodes, and of Malta Maltese Association _______________________ 24th October to 14th November 2025 St John's Cavalier Monday to Saturday 10.00am to 6.00 pm Sundays 10.00 am to 1.00 pm Order of Malta National Art Exhibition "Horse at Water" Bronze 24 cm Nic Fiddian Green Jason Azzopardi files appeal against €300 contempt of court judgment LAWYER Jason Azzopardi has appealed a Criminal Court's de- cision ordering him to pay €300 after he was found guilty for contempt of court. Azzopardi was found to have repeatedly ignored and diso- beyed a court order prohibiting him from making public com- ments about Yorgen Fenech or his upcoming trial. In his appeal on Tuesday morning before the Court of Criminal Appeal, his argument revolved around the timing of notification of the sentence. The sentence in question was handed down by Judge Edwina Grima on 6 October 2025, but notification to all parties oc- curred on 7 October 2025. Yor- gen Fenech's lawyers argued that Azzopardi had filed the appeal a day late. The valid timeframe within which one must file an appeal is two days within the date of the judgement as established under the Code of Organiza- tion and Civil Procedure. Defence lawyer Arthur Azzo- pardi, appearing for the appel- lant, argued that although the sentence was dated 6 October, it was not delivered in open court and the notification to all parties was issued through a decree on the 7th. He argued that the term for appeal should run from the date of effective notification, not from the date of judgement. Azzopardi further maintained that, following the jurispru- dence of the European Court of Human Rights, any appeal term must be effective and be- gin from the moment the de- cision becomes known to the parties. Since the sentence became known only on the 7th, the ap- peal period expired on 9 Oc- tober, and thus the filing was valid and timely. He also noted that the regis- trar's delay in transmitting the acts within three days cannot deprive any party of their right to appeal. Efficiency or admin- istrative errors should not cur- tail fundamental rights. Defence lawyer Charles Mer- cieca stated that according to his memory, the parties were notified of the decision on 6 October. At this point, Jason Azzopar- di interrupted the proceedings and vehemently contradict- ed Mercieca's statement and yelled: "Don't lie, don't lie!". His outburst prompted an immediate reprimand from the court. Chief Justice Mark Chetcuti intervened and in- structed Azzopardi to remain silent: "You are not the lawyer but a party to the case, either you stay quiet or you leave the courtroom." Azzopardi subse- quently apologized. Fenech's lawyers later admit- ted that the parties were indeed notified on the 7th. However, they countered that the term for appeal begins to run at the date of the sentence and the law does not refer to any date of notification. He stated that Azzopardi's appeal was null, asserting that the appeal deadline expired on the 8th, two days after the date of the sentence. Azzopardi's lawyer further emphasised that the registrar's inefficiency cannot nullify a party's right of appeal and that the notification date should be considered the starting point for calculating the appeal term. The case was adjourned to 11 November for decision. MAYA GALEA mgalea@mediatoday.com.mt Lawyer Jason Azzopardi files appeal against a Criminal Court's decision ordering him to pay €300 after he was found guilty for contempt of court • Yorgen Fenech lawyers argue he filed appeal a day late Lawyer Jason Azzopardi and alleged Daphne Caruana Galizia murder mastermind Yorgen Fenech