Civil society groups call for continued fight for press freedom

Civil society groups laid a wreath at the Great Siege Monument in Valletta yesterday to mark the eighth anniversary of the assassination of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia. "Today, we pause, not for protest or for politics, but for reflection. To create space to remember Daphne for what she was before she was a symbol: a writer, a journalist, a woman who used words as both mirror and torch," said Pia Zammit at the ceremony. The wreath-laying was organised by the Institute of Maltese Journalists (IGM), Occupy Justice, Repubblika and PEN Malta. The groups gathered to remember Caruana Galizia, who was killed by a car bomb outside her Bidnija home on 16 October 2017 while investigating corruption. Brothers George and Alfred Degiorgio pleaded guilty to murdering Caruana Galizia in 2022. The Maksar brothers and their associates were accused earlier this year of supplying the bomb which killed her. Businessman Yorgen Fenech, who is currently out on bail, is awaiting trial for his role in allegedly masterminding the hit. Speakers at the ceremony included Pia Zammit, an activist with Repubblika and Occupy Justice, Matthew Xuereb, president of the Institute of Maltese Journalists, and Klara Vassallo from PEN Malta. "As we stand here today, we must recognise that journalism is the bedrock of a healthy democracy. When journalism thrives, democracy flourishes. But when it is threatened, silenced, or attacked, the very fabric of our democratic society unravels," said Xuereb. He added that Caruana Galizia's assassination "was not merely an attack on one individual; it was an assault on the principles of freedom of expression and the rights of all journalists." The speakers stressed that the fight for justice was not only about seeking accountability for Caruana Galizia's murder, but also about ensuring press freedom continues. "We must demand stronger protections for those who risk their lives to bring us the news," Xuereb said. The ceremony heard that Caruana Galizia's legacy lives on in journalists who continue to tell stories that need to be told, despite the risks they face. PN accuses the government of failing to implement the inquiry recommendations The Nationalist Party said justice for the assassination of Daphne Caruana Galizia is already eight years late, as the Maltese people are still waiting for the truth. The party said the Public Inquiry was concluded more than four years ago, yet the Government has failed to implement its recommendations. The Inquiry found the Government guilty of creating a culture of impunity that led to the assassination. The PN recalled that the three Judges stated: "there is nothing to indicate that the assassination did not occur for reasons directly linked to the investigations which Mrs Caruana Galizia was carrying out into serious allegations of bad public administration, abuse of power and corruption." The party said Robert Abela must immediately ensure that all the recommendations of the Public Inquiry are implemented in full, or the Maltese people can never be guaranteed that this Government will not allow the assassination of another journalist.