Hunters’ federation to press charges against CABS
Hunters’ federation FKNK calls on Police Commissioner John Rizzo ‘to take the necessary criminal action against the operators of this aircraft so that such illegalities are curtailed’.
The hunters' federation has decided to press charges against CABS - the German-based committee against birds slaughter - for filming hunters and trappers without their consent through the use of a remote controlled aircraft.
In the past days, CABS have made use to the aircraft, equipped with a camera, to keep an eye on any illegal hunting or trapping. One of the gadgets used by the watchdog was reportedly shot down by the hunters in the area of Zabbar.
FKNK said that charges will include - but not limited to - harassment, intrusion of privacy; trespassing; spying; flying of an unmanned remote-controlled aircraft equipped with video-recording equipment at a low altitude over private property; landing of the aircraft on private-owned land; unauthorized video and photo shooting; breach of local air-traffic control regulations and related dangers.
"In view of the fact that the footage and photos shot by CABS invade the privacy of Maltese nationals and since these were carried out without their knowledge and consent, the FKNK calls on the Commissioner of Police to confiscate the footage and photos in the interest of the protection of personal data of Maltese citizens," the federation said.
The FKNK also called on the said Commissioner to take the necessary criminal action against the operators of this aircraft so that such illegalities are curtailed.
A report will also be lodged with the Data Protection Commissioner for data protection violation.
"The FKNK therefore calls upon the Commissioner to take necessary steps against these perpetrators for abusing the very laws that protect an individual's right to privacy," the federation insisted.
"This is not about hunting. This is about us being Maltese and proud of it. Nevertheless, as a Federation of 10,000 adult Maltese hunter members, 6,500 of which should be able to hunt legally without foreign provocation from this German charade, the FKNK does not mean to let this rest, and if need be it is prepared to take this up at EU level."