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MT 5 March 2017

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4 PAUL COCKS TWO members of the anti-censor- ship front that took shape during the 'Li Tkisser Sewwi' controversy in 2010, have hit out at the Labour government over its new media bill, saying the law contradicted the party's electoral manifesto on the removal of censorship laws. Mark Camilleri and Ingram Bon- din of the Front Against Censor- ship said that although the new Media and Defamation Act was an improvement on the Press Act, it included setbacks. Camilleri, who is also the Na- tional Book Council's chairman, welcomed the removal of obscene libel and the fact that garnishee orders will not be allowed in civil defamation cases. But he took ex- ception to the increase in maxi- mum damages from €11,646 to €20,000. He said the Front was also dis- satisfied with the compulsory registration of news agencies, a proposed restriction on the pro- tection of sources as a privilege only for registered journalists, and the failure to remove laws prohib- iting criticism of the President. Camilleri welcomed the removal of obscene libel, along with the recent removal of theatre censor- ship, the law against the vilifica- tion of religion and the transfor- mation of anti-pornography rules into a law protecting against ex- treme pornography. "We believe that the censorship regime over the arts has now been effectively dismantled by these measures," Camilleri said. But he added that damages for civil libel were too high and that the harm done to an individu- al's reputation should always be weighed against the benefit which society draws from the existence of a free press. "The scale of the damages will not only discourage newspapers from touching upon sensitive is- sues, but also threatens the viabil- ity of an independent press, with negative effects on media plural- ism and democracy," he said. He said this would render free- dom of expression the exclusive privilege of well-financed media houses that can absorb losses, add- ing that it had not been shown that the revenue of the press had in- creased proportionately to the in- crease in damages. "Without such an economic calculation, the argu- ment stating that the amount of damages are merely being updated to reflect the present times fails to be backed up by any evidence." Camilleri said the Front was not satisfied with the reform of crimi- nal libel, noting that the article regulating criminal defamation (Article 252 of the Criminal Code) would not be removed. Instead, it was being amended in a confusing manner. "Those found guilty under Arti- cle 252 are still facing a fine or im- prisonment of up to three months, and although the amendment re- moves criminal defamation when this is performed through 'writing, drawing or other means', it does not do so when criminal defama- tion is performed through 'words, gestures, insults or other means'," Camilleri said. "If the intention of the legislator was to remove criminal defama- tion in the case of writing, the leg- islator has failed in this aim since 'other means' also includes writ- ing." Ingram Bondin said the legislator was also going beyond the current law by including the word 'insults' in the law, which would have to be considered when determining whether criminal defamation has been committed. "The Front believes that this in- clusion was misguided and could result in the application of crimi- nal defamation to a wider category of expression than would other- wise have been the case," he said. Bondin also said the Front could not understand why Article 72 of the Criminal Code, relating to of- fences committed when raising various forms of disaffection to- wards the President, was not be- ing repealed in its entirety. "It is inconceivable that a person should be fined or granted a prison sen- tence of one to three months for showing various forms of disap- proval towards the President," Bondin said. "In a republic where all citizens are equal in front of the law, the President should not be protected from criticism in this way, espe- cially since the holder of this Office is allowed to take political stances and promote causes which find his or her favour," he said. "The Front also wishes to take a stand against the provision which grants protection of sources only to registered news services or to journalists who practise on a full- time or part-time basis. "Firstly, the use of sources might be important for other categories of people other than those covered by the law – for instance, activists or citizen journalists… the Courts have defined the term 'journalist' as applying to a very wide category of people, and it is our belief that this provision will impinge on and restrict this definition." maltatoday, SUNDAY, 5 MARCH 2017 News Anti-censorship front punches holes in media bill COURT NOTICE The Registrar, Civil Courts and Tribunals notifies that the First Hall of the Civil Court ordered the sale by Judicial Auction of the following property to be held in the corridors of the Courts of Justice, Republic Street, Valletta. Date Time Judicial Sale No Property 7th March 2017 11.30am 104/98 Joseph Azzopardi ET NOE vs Raymond Zammit ET. NOE JGL A portion of land higher than street level and accessible only from the said Xagħra tal-Bandieri approximately measures one hundred and twenty eight point thirty square meters (128.30m²) at the back of tenements numbered 159 and 160 in Triq San Pawl, San Pawl il-Baħ ar valued at one hundred and thirty thousand euro (€130,000). 28th March 2017 10.30am 81/16 Formosa Maria et. I.D. 195051M vs Calleja Mark et. I.D. 195051M EGL Mezzanine on the first floor numbered seventeen (17) in Triq il-Kanonku Bonnici, Ħamrun, with its airspace and with all its rights and appurtenances. The offers should start from eighty thousand euro (€ 80,000). The tenement number sixty eight (68) named 'St.Valentine', in Triq Azzopardi, Marsa, with all its rights and appurtenances. The offers should start from three hundred and five thousand euro (€305,000). Further details can be obtained from the website: http://www.justiceservices.gov.mt/courtservices/JudicialSales/search.aspx The bidders taking part in the auction must present their identity card. Rudolph Marmara' For the Registrar of Civil Courts and Tribunals COURT NOTICE The Registrar of Civil Courts and Tribunals informs that the Civil Court, First Hall ordered the following sales by auction: Date Time Judicial Sale No Place Items 8 th March 2017 12.00pm 2/17 Carmel Caruana ID 418360M vs Christopher Cutajar AZ Ten (10), Triq il-Vlontin, Fleur De Lys, Birkirkara Motor of the make Piaggio, black in colour with the registration number BBV 928. 22nd March 2017 10.00am 4/17 Dr. Michelle Tabone Noe ID 138371M vs Mario Borg ID 421457M EGL two (2) and three (3) , Triq l-Arcisqof, Valletta Nine (9) wooden tables, three (3) wardrobes, 2 seater sofa and two armchairs, desk brown in colour, four (4) big glass showcases and one (1) small, four (4) chests, two (2) wardrobes and four (4) small tables, chairs, chandelier, printing machine of the mark Gesteiner and other various objects. 22nd March 2017 11.30am 5/17 A. Gatt Trading Limited C23841 vs Sadik Kaplan ID 46115A JGL J & J Boatyard, Triq l-Għadmija, Mqabba Ten (10) cane tables and forty (40) cane chairs, television of the make Samsung, three (3) fridges counters, stainless steel tables, kebab grills, food warmer of the make Tuman Gelih, Chip pan of the make Tuman Gelih, Chip warmer of the make Tuman Gelih, stainless steel fridge of the make Olis, stainless steel fridge of the make Ilsa and other various objects. 29 th March 2017 11.00am 3/17 Edward Farrugia et. ID 36861M vs Nutar Pierre Falzon ID 535060M EM 'Rita Garage' Triq Il-Kappillan Mifsud, Ħamrun Vehicle of the make Mercedes Benz with the registration number FUS 003. 29 ta' Marzu 2017 12.00pm 19/15 J. Zammit Limited C37945 vs Dennis Charles O' Brien ID364999M JGL Garage Number three (3), 'St. James Court', Triq Is-Sienja, Attard Van of the make Ford Transit, white in colour with the registration number BGV103 valued at three thousand and six hundred euro (€3600). Vehicle of the make Jaguar, black in colour with the registration number FBZ 947 valued at two thousand and three hundred euro (€2300). Further details can be obtained from the website: http://www.justiceservices.gov.mt/courtservices/JudicialSales/search.aspx The bidders taking part in the auction must present their identity card Rudolph Marmara' For the Registrar Civil Courts and Tribunals National Book Council chairman Mark Camilleri (left) with Ingram Bondin

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