There are 185 libel cases pending before the law courts, of which the oldest was filed before the first hall of the Civil Court on April 29,1997 and has been awaiting sentence since January 28, 2004, Justice Minister Owen Bonnici said.

Replying to a parliamentary question by Nationalist MP Censu Galea, he said there are five libel cases before the Superior Appeals Court, 16 before the inferior appeals court, seven before the civil court and 157 before the Magistrates' court.

Of these, 45 are awaiting sentence.

The longest pending case before the superior appeals court was presented on November 15, 2013 and still has to be appointed.  The oldest case before the inferior appeals court was presented on November 13,  2012.

In the Magistrates' Court the oldest case was filed on July 23, 2003 and has been put off for evidence.