The Malta Journalists’ Association has called on Attorney General Victoria Buttigieg to shoulder responsibility after a case involving a journalist being bribed was dropped in court over a technicality.

“Rather than stand by the journalist, the Attorney General erred, qualifying the criminal offence wrongly and forcing the magistrate to clear the lawyers of attempted bribery,” the IGM said today.

“It has to be noted that the magistrate made it clear in her judgment that the journalist had refused the money offered to him by the lawyers and at no stage did the prosecution consider charging him with corruption. On the contrary, Ivan Martin carried out his duty with utmost responsibility by not only refusing the money but also reporting the case that led the police to charge the lawyers,” IGM said.

The group said today’s development showed journalists were not protected by the islands institutions – and said the IGM will continue to stand up for journalists facing pressures and potential criminal behaviour.

“The IGM urges journalists to continue striving to expose the truth through their stories despite persistent undermining by the country’s highest authorities,” it said.

“They will always find the IGM there to support them.”

Apart from expecting the AG to shoulder responsibility for this blunder, which we hope was unintentional and the result of inexperience in criminal proceedings, the IGM stresses that it is about time that the authorities start protecting the fourth pillar of democracy in a more serious way.”