Judge Giovanni Bonello appointed Strickland Foundation chairman

Former European Court of Human Rights Judge Giovanni Bonello is the new chairman of the Council of Administration of the Strickland Foundation.

The Strickland Foundation was officially set up by Mabel Strickland in August 1979, and is also a shareholder of the Allied Group, which publishes The Times, the newspaper that Strickland founded.

Until recently, Judge Bonello was also heading an inquiry board to carry out an independent investigation into allegations of graft in regard to former Allied group managing director Adrian Hillman.

Hillman was alleged of having received commissions for purchases by the Allied Group of newsprint from the Kasco group, owned by the Prime Minister’s chief of staff Keith Schembri. Both Hillman and Schembri denied the accusations.

Giovanni Bonello was Judge of the European Court of Human Rights from 1 November 1998 until 31 October 2004. He is probably the only judge whose separate opinions were published during his tenure.

Judge Bonello has published several history books.

The principal objectives of the Strickland Foundation are to promote democratic principles, the observance of human rights, and the exercise of a free press, and improve the standard of Maltese journalism.

The other members of the Council of Administration of the Foundation are: Ronald Agius, Frank Bonello, Nationalist MP Mario de Marco, and Marcel Cassar. The executive secretary is Peter Portelli.

The seat of The Strickland Foundation is 36, Villa Parisio, Lija.