Daphne Caruana Galizia had asked the Department of Information to be recognised as the editor of her own blog. Testifying in the law courts in 2015, she had lamented that it was not possible for her to be registered as editor, seeing as there was no mechanism that allowed the registration of websites.
In other words, Daphne Caruana Galizia had endorsed that which is being proposed by the Government, by means of a law regulating slander and the media. Now that the Government is proposing this law, Caruana Galizia is opposing it vehemently. Similarly, the Nationalist Party has embarked on a negative campaign that includes public protests.
It is clearer than ever, upon considering a court case in November 2015, that Caruana Galizia was in favour of the registration of new portals. Furthermore, she had clearly said that she felt disadvantaged because she could not register herself as editor.
Minister Owen Bonnici pointed this out whilst participating in a televised debate together with shadow minister Clyde Puli.
In one of the many libel cases filed against her, Daphne Caruana Galizia had declared the following, during a cross-examination by lawyer Andrew Sciberras.
Dr Andrew Sciberras:
Mrs Caruana Galizia, we agree that you are the publisher, editor and administrator of the website Daphne…
Witness:
Yes
Dr Andrew Sciberras:
Needless to say, I…
Witness:
Allow me to clarify. I had asked, as editor, to make my status clear; I had asked the Department of Information to be registered as website editor and they literally did not let me, as they told me that there was no system in place for websites…
Dr Andrew Sciberras;
Though we agree that you administer and edit…and that you have control over it, is that right?
Dr Andrew Sciberras:
So that I may highlight that the law is at fault
Dr Andrew Sciberras:
You are not officially recognised by the authorities as editor, but you are..
Witness:
But I would like to clarify my position. Maybe there is someone…; I can do nothing about it. It is my situation…
Court:
Legally, it is an ambivalent point
Witness:
I too, am at a disadvantage, and I have a big disadvantage. As the law stands, there is certain information that may only be requested by newspaper and website registered editors. Therefore, I am discriminated against and I cannot ask the Government certain information as editor.
Dr Andrew Sciberras:
But that is a different argument
Witness:
Yes
The Court:
The court understands.
REĠGĦET INQABDET: DCG KIENET TALBET LI TIRREĠISTRA L-BLOG
Daphne Caruana Galizia kienet talbet lid-Dipartiment tal-Informazzjoni biex jirrikonoxxiha bħala editriċi tal-blog tagħha u waqt xhieda fil-Qorti kienet ilmentat li ma ħallewhiex. Dan għax sal-lum m’hemmx sistema fis-seħħ li tippermetti li siti elettroniċi ta’ aħbarijiet u ġrajjiet kurrenti jkunu reġistrati.
Fi kliem ieħor Daphne Caruana Galizia riedet tgħamel dak li qed issa qed jipproponi l-gvern fil-liġi dwar il-midja u l-malafama. Proposta li għax issa kienet proposta mill-gvern Caruana Galizia qed tiddeskriviha bħala sarima. L-istess kif qed tgħamel l-oppożizzjoni tant li bħala parti mill-oppożizzjoni għal din il-liġi l-Kap tal-Oppożizzjoni, Simon Busuttil, saħansitra organizza protesti.
Huwa ċar kristall, minn seduta ta’ nhar it-Tnejn, 30 ta’ Novembru 2015, li Caruana Galizia taqbel mar-reġistrazzjoni tas-siti tal-aħbarijiet, tant li fi kliemha kienet qed tkun żvantaġjata għaliex ma setgħetx tirreġistra.
Dawn id-dettalji kienu żvelati mill-Ministru Owen Bonnici llejla meta fil-programm XTRA kien qed jiddibatti l-liġi tal-midja mal-kelliem tal-Oppożizzjoni, Clyde Puli.
F’waħda mill-ħafna kawżi ta’ libell li għandha kontra tagħha Caruana Galizia kienet iddikjarat hekk għal kontro eżami tal-avukat Andrew Sciberras.
Dr Andrew Sciberras :
Sinjura Caruana Galizia naqblu li inti kemm inti pubblikatriċi, edittriċi u amministatriċi tal-website Daphne ..…
Xhud :
Iva.
Dr Andrew Sciberras :
Jiena sintendi ..
Xhud :
Ha nagħmel korrezzjoni jekk jogħgbok. Jiena kont tlabt bhala edittrici ma nafx l-istatus tiegħi; għax jiena kont tlabt lid-Dipartiment ta’ l-Informazzjoni biex niġi reġistrata bħala edittriċi tal-website u litteralment ma ħallewnix għax qaluli li ma hemmx sistema biex il-websites …
Dr Andrew Sciberras :
Però naqblu li inti tamministra u tedditja u tagħmel ..u għandek kontroll fuqu hux hekk?
Dr Andrew Sciberras :
Biex niħħajlajtja li dan huwa problema fil-liġi għax jiena xtaqt.
Dr Andrew Sciberras :
Uffiċjalment ma tidhirx mal-awtoritajiet bħala edittriċi, però prorpju inti ..
Xhud :
Imma li nixtieq li nidher. Jiġifieri forsi xi ħadd..; jiena ma nista’ nagħmel xejn dwarha. Imma s-sitwazzjoni tiegħi ..
Il-Qorti :
Legali hija kemxejn ambivalenti.
Xhud :
U anke jien niġi at a disadvantage, għax għandi żvantaġġ kbir għax hemm ċertu informazzjoni illi l-liġi titlob li tista’ tintalab biss minn l-edituri tal-ġurnali u l-websites registered editors. Allura jien ġejt fil-pożizzjoni ta’ diskriminazjoni fejn ma nistax nitlob lill-Gvern taħt il-liġi bħala edittriċi.
Dr Andrew Sciberras :
Imma dik hija kwistjoni separata.
Xhud :
Ehe.
Il-Qorti :
Il-Qorti fehmet.
