8/06/06

Malta Today: European Commission queries media ban in detention centres

The European Commission is asking the Maltese government to explain its policy of banning journalists from immigrants’ detention centres in response to a petition signed by 100 journalists and editors last February. European Commissioner for Justice, Freedom and Security Franco Frattini told the European Parliament that the Commission was demanding information from the Maltese government about the total media ban imposed by Home Affairs Minister Tonio Borg.
Replying to parliamentary questions made by Labour MEP Joseph Muscat and Hélène Flautre (Greens), Frattini said he was aware of the journalists’ petition and of Borg’s media ban and that he was seeking information from the government. The Commission is also aware of the conditions in immigrants’ detention centres which have been the subject of much criticism from international human rights agencies and organisations.

The Commissioner said the EU directive which lays the minimum standards for reception of asylum seekers does not explicitly grant access to immigration centres for journalists, but the European Convention for Human Rights laid down the rights for freedom of expression.“The freedom of expression guaranteed by Article 10 of the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, which could give the right to such an access for journalists, is not unconditional,” Frattini said. “For this reason, in order to properly assess the facts, the Commission would need to obtain more detailed information and intends to contact the Maltese authorities to this effect.” Amnesty International and the United Nations refugee agency slammed the government’s ban on journalists in detention centres earlier this year, insisting that immigrants’ camps should be open to media scrutiny. Borg defends his ban on his own tradition of banning journalists from detention centres, saying that “for years it has been the Government’s policy not to give access to journalists in detention centres, including prison,” claiming that he knew of no other country that did so.

Journalists insist the ban should be lifted from both prisons and immigrants’ centres.
Earlier this year, the United Nations refugee agency condemned the government, describing its media ban policy as a “short-sighted” and “very worrying decision”.The journalists said in their petition that is their duty towards the public to report as fully as possible about the immigration issue, with a view of shaping an informed debate about this issue of national interest, and therefore access to detention centres should be a normal procedure.

 

Karl Schembri