Journalists’ union denounces company’s attempt to muzzle newspaper

The Institute of Maltese Journalists (IĠM) has denounced the temporary court-imposed gagging order on the Times of Malta at the request of Papaya Ltd.

Papaya, a fintech company, filed an injunction against the newspaper to stop publication of an investigative story. The court temporarily upheld the injunction, as is normal practice, until the case is heard.

Nonetheless, the IĠM urged the court to “expedite matters and hear the case with urgency” given that the requested injunction involves the suspension of a human right, which the union called “a grave request”.

“The IĠM believes that in such circumstances the right to know and to inform should trump the company’s request to stifle investigative reporting,” the union said on Tuesday, adding that a free press must remain free to investigate, question, and publish without fear of retribution or censorship.

“Such legal actions pose a serious threat to press freedom and the public’s right to know,” the IĠM, adding that investigative journalism is a cornerstone of a healthy democracy. “Silencing the press through legal injunctions undermines the essential role of journalism as the fourth pillar of democracy.”

The IĠM said journalists should be allowed to carry out their work without undue interference.