Il-Ministru tal-Gustizzja Gavin Gulia jwiegeb ghal stqarrija ta' l-ghaqda "Mid-Dlam ghad-Dawl" dwar l-estradizzjoni ta' Satariano

B'riferenza góall-istqarrija maóruía mill-góaqda "Mid-Dlam góad-Dawl (Daritama)" fis-17 ta' Íunju 1998, in konnessjoni mal-kaú ta' l-estradizzjoni ta' Anthony Satariano il-Ministru tal-Íustizzja jixtieq jagómel l-osservazzjonijiet li íejjin:

Il-Gvern Malti hu moralment konvint li l-mandat góall-estradizzjoni ta' Satariano nóareí fl-interess tal-íustizzja, konformi mal-obbligi legali, domestiði u internazzjonali ta' Malta, u fir-rispett sóió tad-drittijiet u tal-interessi ta' Anthony Satariano. Kif digà stqarr pubblikament il-Gvern, id-drittijiet ta' Anthony Satariano íew adegwatament imóarsa, tant li l-istess Anthony Satariano u l-konsulenti legali tiegóu ma baqgóux joííezzjonaw góat-talba ta' estradizzjoni. Hija Daritama biss li irraíjonevolment donnha trid tibqa' tixóet dubbji dwar dan. Jiúdied illi:

Mhux minnu li l-piena massima góar-reat ta' approprjazzjoni indebita f'Malta hi ta' 18-il xahar priíunerija. Il-piena massima góall-istess reat fið-ðirkostanzi konkreti tas-Sur Satariano kienet tkun iújed minn daqshekk. Góalhekk il-premessa li fuqha hu mibni dan l-argument tal-góaqda Daritama hi góal kollox úbaljata.

Il-liíi stess ta' Malta dwar l-estradizzjoni digà tieóu qis ta' cirkostanzi umanitarji u l-qrati tagóna digà kellhom l-opportunita' li jieódu qis ta' tali cirkostanzi fil-proðeduri legali preliminari góall-estradizzjoni ta' Satariano iúda kkonkludew li ma kien hemm ebda ostakolu góall-estradizzjoni tiegóu. B'danakollu, l-Gvern Malti xorta góamel is-sottomissjonijiet tiegóu lill-Gvern Amerikan sabiex id-drittijiet ta' Satariano jiíu móarsa u ser ikompli jsegwi l-kaú sabiex jassigura li l-istess drittijiet jibqgóu jiíu móarsa f'kull stadju tal-proðess.

Minister of Justice Gavin Gulia replies to 'Mid-Dlam ghad-Dawl" statement on Satariano's extradition

With reference to the press release issued by the organisation "Mid-Dlam ghad-Dawl (Daritama)" on the 17th June 1998, in connection with the extradition case of Anthony Satariano, the Minister of Justice wishes to make the following observations :

The Maltese Government is morally convinced that the warrant for the extradition of Satariano was issued in the interests of justice, consistent with Malta's domestic and international legal obligations and in full respect of Anthony Satariano's rights and interests. As already publicly declared by the Government, Anthony Satariano's rights have been adequately safeguarded to the extent that Anthony Satariano and his legal counsels have withdrawn their objections to the request for extradition. It is only Daritama which unreasonably seems to want to continue to shed doubts on this matter.

It is just not true that the maximum penalty for the offence of misappropriation in Malta is of 18 months imprisonment. The maximum penalty for the same offence in the concrete circumstances of Mr. Satariano's case would have been more than that. Therefore, the premise on which Daritama constructs this argument is altogether incorrect.

Maltese law on extradition itself takes into account humanitarian circumstances, and our Courts have already had opportunity to take into consideration such circumstances in the judicial proceedings preliminary to the extradition of Satariano but have concluded that there was no obstacle to his extradition. Nevertheless, the Maltese Government still made its submissions to the American Government in order that Satariano' s rights be safeguarded and will continue to follow the case to ensure that those rights will continue to be protected at every stage of the process.