Journalists' institute demands inquiry

The Institute of Maltese Journalists (IGM) yesterday called for an investigation into the abusive confiscation of digital camera memory cards from press photographers during the incidents at the Ta' Qali national stadium on Wednesday night.

Referring to media reports that camera memory cards and film tape had been confiscated from Maltese and Croat photographers, the institute condemned this "blatant act of censorship" and called on the Police Commissioner and the president of the Malta Football Association to take disciplinary action against "those who acted abusively and confiscated this material in breach of the law".

The police are known to be looking into the matter.

The IGM also condemned without reservations the fact that some photographers and cameramen, who were on official duty for their media organisations, were not only manhandled and exposed to abusive and obscene language, but also beaten up by individuals who were duty bound to prevent such actions from taking place, the IGM said. It insisted that the confiscated material should be returned to its rightful owners immediately.

"The thrust of these initiatives by individuals who said they were Malta Football Association security personnel - yet had no means of identification - and members of the Malta Police Force was not to collect evidence to support proceedings in a court of law but, in fact, to destroy evidence that had been collected by these media professionals," the institute said.

The IGM said that independently of what would be going on in the stadium and who is acting against the law, it is the duty of the media to cover such events in the public interest.

"The police should be given training in 'civil' conduct with regard to the media," it said.