Malta: Seven years on, the murder of Daphne Caruana Galizia highlights continued need for reform
On the seventh anniversary of the murder of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia, representatives of Reporters Without Borders (RSF) gathered in nine cities around the world in memory and solidarity. With criminal proceedings continuing against three suspects, and reform still needed to implement the recommendations of the landmark public inquiry, sustained international attention remains vital.
Across nine capital cities - Berlin, Brasilia, Brussels, London, Paris, Stockholm, Taipei, Washington DC, and Zurich - representatives of RSF gathered on 16 October in memory of Daphne Caruana Galizia, and to express solidarity with her family and Maltese journalists and civil society. In London, RSF was joined by representatives of Article 19, English PEN, Index on Censorship, and the Maltese community, among other supporters. In Brussels, RSF’s representative gathered with members of the Media Freedom Rapid Response network.
“Seven years have passed since her assassination, but Daphne Caruana Galizia remains a highly emblematic figure, representing the courage of investigative journalists and the risks they take in doing their jobs in the public interest. Her murder marked a bleak moment for press freedom and the safety of journalists, and cast a shadow throughout Europe and beyond. As we have been since the very beginning, we’re still here, still closely following the criminal proceedings, and still campaigning for much-needed reform in Malta.
RSF also joined 10 other international NGOs in a joint letter to Maltese Prime Minister Robert Abela, urging him to recommit to creating an enabling environment for Maltese journalists by fully implementing the recommendations of the public inquiry into Caruana Galizia’s assassination that concluded in July 2021.
An investigative journalist who reported on corruption and organised crime, Caruana Galizia was murdered on 16 October 2017. To date, seven people have admitted to or were sentenced for complicity in the murder, and criminal proceedings continue against three suspects, including the alleged mastermind and alleged bomb suppliers. On 30 September 2024, a Maltese court imposed a ban on all comments and publications outside court hearings related to the ongoing proceedings.
Malta is ranked 73rd out of 180 countries in RSF’s 2024 World Press Freedom Index.
