The government has filed an appeal seeking to overturn a decision by Judge Toni Abela that ruled my right to free expression was breached when as a journalist I was denied appropriate access to the prisons and other detention facilities to report on conditions in there.
In the meantime, requests I made to visit the prisons and detention services on the basis of the terms of Judge Abela’s decision were denied again by the directors of the detention facilities. The reason they gave for refusing me access was that they intended to appeal the court order to grant me access. Well, they call it a reason. I’d call it what Judge Toni Abela calls it: je suis le roi, je suis la loi, or, if you like, the behaviour of tyrants who want to hide their human rights abuses behind walls of secrecy.
I know other journalists have applied to be allowed to visit detention facilities after Judge Abela’s decision and I know of no such application having been accepted.
It’s not like any of us are giving up now.