Thursday 7 July 2011

Greenhouse's Reaction to the Stork Hunters Sentence

Below is the official reaction of Greenhouse towards the sentence filed today for the two men convicted with hunting down two protected birds. The sentence given was a €14,000 fine and 3 years jail time between the two hunters- or should we say "ex-hunters" since they were also served a life-time hunting ban.

- Greenhouse commends the harsh sentence given to the hunters who shot the protected white storks. Such fines will be a strong deterrent to prevent further cases of illegal hunting. We urge the hunting community to be harsher on these poachers and take more action to prevent such illegal hunting from happening. Poachers such as these are shedding a negative light on the legally-binding hunters. We hope that harsh sentences such as these will be maintained so that Malta will see the end of illegal hunting once and for all. We also hope that the positive outcome of this court-case will not be watered down in the appeal.

- It is a relief to see that the courts are making serious use of the power entrusted to them as the weight of their judgement will certainly act as a deterrent to those who persist in illegal hunting activity. This judgment has clearly shown that the judicial system is taking bird hunting illegalities seriously.
- These hunters have been found guilty on several accounts of national hunting laws. Our organisation hopes that this judgment will not be considered a 'quick-fix' solution and hopes that after these individuals are made accountable for their actions, the law abiding hunting community takes self-enforcement more seriously and pro-actively among its members. Only this can lead to long-term solutions.
- Although Greenhouse is pleased with this positive outcome, we cannot help but wonder what distinguishes one dead animal from another in the legal-system? What makes a living-thing more 'preciosus' or of more 'value' which result in harsher penalties? The discrepancies in penalties between animal cruelty and illegal hunting are shameful.

For the Times of Malta Article on the sentencing see:

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