The Chamber of Advocates has called for the suspension of the director of prisons pending an investigation into an incident involving Yorgen Fenech’s lawyer Charles Mercieca.

The lawyer complained in court earlier on Thursday that while he was visiting his client in prison on Monday, he was loudly interrupted by the arrival of prison director Alex Dalli, who objected vociferously, pointing at the documents. He insisted that no papers were allowed in unless individually documented and scanned.

The lawyer would not let go of the papers and on Thursday called for the protection of the courts. 

The chamber condemned the incident and said it had written to Home Affairs Minister Byron Camilleri, asking him to take action and to order an investigation without delay.

Dalli’s attitude, clearly intended to intimidate the lawyer in the exercise of his professional duties could, in the best-case scenario be described as “shameful” and in the worst-case scenario as a “clear and blatant obstruction to the administration of justice," the chamber said. 

It said it would not tolerate such “abuse of power” coming from any public official, and the director of prisons himself, to boot.

It called upon the director to shoulder responsibility and his suspension pending the outcome of an independent inquiry which was to be ordered at once.

Every person accused had a right to defend himself and such a right was to be safeguarded especially against public institutions.

Lawyers visiting prison to assist their clients must be treated “within the limits of decency and politeness they deserve and without fear or intimidation at the hands of prison authorities,” the chamber insisted.