Bernard Grech is latest victim of disinformation campaign, calls for stronger cybercrime laws

Bernard Grech has renewed his call for stronger laws to regulate cybercrime after he became the latest victim in a disinformation campaign targeting journalists and activists.

A spoof email exchange between the Opposition leader and Nationalist MP Jason Azzopardi was disseminated to various media houses including MaltaToday. The fake messages purportedly came from the parliamentary email addresses of the two MPs.

“I have been informed that fake emails in my name are circulating as part of a widespread disinformation campaign in Malta,” Grech said in a Facebook post on Monday. “After cloning news websites to deliberately spread fake news, the perpetrators are now specifically trying to damage the Opposition.”

He described the widespread disinformation campaign as “dangerous anti-democratic tactics”, insisting that it cannot be allowed to go unpunished.

“We cannot accept to strengthen the culture of impunity that led to the murder of a journalist. The police’s cybercrime unit needs to be beefed up and the government and Opposition must meet urgently to make sure the laws regulating cybercrime are strengthened ahead of the upcoming election,” Grech said, reiterating a call he made over the weekend.

“Robert Abela cannot remain silent about this. Silence is complicity. We will not remain silent,” Grech said as he urged the Prime Minister to address the matter.

After Grech's statement, Abela on Monday condemned the disinformation campaign adding he had also been a victim on 15 August. The Prime Minister also asked the National Cybersecurity Commitee to draw up proposals to strengthen the fight against cybercrime.

Various news sites and blogs have been spoofed in a widespread campaign aimed at spreading fake news and undermining the work of journalists and activists. The saga appears to have started last week when the blog of activist Manuel Delia was spoofed, followed by other news sites.

The Institute of Maltese Journalists (IĠM) last week condemned the attacks on journalists and bloggers in what it described as a "clear attempt to weaken the fourth pillar of the country's democracy".

"The use of technology to impersonate journalists to influence them in the course of their duties is not only despicable but outright dangerous," the institute said. It urged journalists to report any threats or intimidation to the police, "who should offer journalists full protection".

Activist group Repubblika will be holding a demonstration in solidarity with journalists and activists on Tuesday to press home the seriousness of the situation. The protest will be held in Valletta at 6:30pm.

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