Updated: Student newspaper was reported by fellow students
KSU denies allegations
(Adds KSU statement)
It was not the university chaplain who first brought student newspaper Realta’ to the attention of University authorities, but officials from the University Students' Council, according to a witness in the court case involving the paper.
The newspaper has been banned from the university grounds following a short story by Alex Vella Gera Li Tkisser Sewwi, which detailed a man’s sexual exploits in explicit language.
As editor, Mr Camilleri is facing charges for public obscenity. He said this afternoon that when testifying in court earlier this week, precincts officer Joseph Camilleri revealed it was two KSU officials who brought the publication to the attention of the rector's office.
Speaking during a debate on censorship, organised by student organisation Pulse, Mr Camilleri said that previously, it was believed that it was university chaplain Fr Michael Bugeja who reported the paper to the university authorities.
Mr Camilleri said that when he tried to contact Rector Juanito Camilleri, he was denied a meeting on grounds that Realta’ was not a recognised student organisation.
He said censorship was not only present in the arts, but it was a tool used by institutions to forward their own interests. The university and the Junior College, he said, wanted to expel, directly or indirectly, any critical organisation so that reports criticising them would stop being aired in public.
During the same debate, Labour MP Owen Bonnici challenged the government to take a stand on censorship, and questioned the motives of those who controlled it.
KSU STATEMENT
In a statement, KSU denied that any of its officials reported Realta’ to the University authorities.
KSU said it was informed that in his testimony, precincts officer Joe Camilleri did not say it was a KSU official that brought the newspaper to the attention of his office, but that it was university students.
KSU said student organisations present for a meeting yesterday agreed that an ad-hoc sub-committee should be set up to draw up a reaction to the National Cultural Policy Draft which was published recently.