Watch: Let The Cameras In – Joe Giglio Breaks Down Why Malta Must Televise Court Sittings
Nationalist MP and leading criminal lawyer Joe Giglio explained why Malta must begin televising major court cases in the interest of transparency.
“Court proceedings are open to the public and the public can always go and see them,” Giglio noted in an interview with Lovin Malta.
“It is in very rare instances, which are laid down in the law, where the court can order a proceeding be held behind closed doors. But that is the exception and not the rule, so televising would be pushing further towards transparency.”
“But as a rule, court proceedings are public in nature and therefore there is nothing wrong with televising in the belief that it will create more transparency.”
Cameras aren’t allowed inside any Maltese courtroom, limiting the general public to reading reports to understand what’s going on within the four walls of the courtroom.
However, there have recent calls, including by retired judge Giovanni Bonello and former PN MP Jason Azzopardi, for certain major cases to be televised.
Justice Minister Jonathan Attard has previously expressed scepticism of such a proposal, warning that an accused person could mount a case that their rights to a fair trial are being breached by the presence of cameras in the courtroom.
“I’d rather justice is served well without the rights of the accused being trampled upon, which God forbid could result in issues of nullity,” Attard told Lovin Malta last May.
“I’m very cautious on this issue. The most important thing is that justice is done, and that it is seen to be done in the sense that the public is informed about it. However, if we use extreme resources to transmit it, I think we could endanger the chance that justice could be done.”
Should Malta start televising major court sittings?
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