Groups hold London vigil for murdered journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia

03 Nov 17 | Campaigns -- Featured, Media Freedom, Statements

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Daphne Caruana Galizia protest 3Nearly 60 free expression advocates marked the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes Against Journalists by honouring the courage of investigative journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia, and call for justice in her case.

Caruana Galizia was tragically killed on 16 October when a bomb placed under her car exploded as she drove away from her home in Bidnija, in the north of the island of Malta. A specialist in investigating corruption, her work included exposés of the shady secret deals, uncovered in the Panama Papers, that show how politicians and others hide illicit wealth behind secret companies. Her allegations about government corruption led to early elections in the country last June.

“Daphne Caruana Galizia showed remarkable courage in relentlessly pursuing investigations into official corruption and publishing stories that some clearly wanted to keep hidden, for which she paid the ultimate price. We call for justice for Daphne, and for an end to the vicious cycle of violence against journalists and impunity for their attackers everywhere it occurs. An attack on a journalist anywhere is an attack on journalism itself”, said Rebecca Vincent, UK Bureau Director for Reporters Without Borders.

“Daphne Caruana Galizia embodied the courage and commitment of independent journalists everywhere to bring us the news and illuminate inconvenient truths at great risk. Her cowardly murder must not go unpunished. Today we stand with Caruana Galizia’s family, friends, and colleagues, in the pledge to seek justice for her and for all journalists who have paid the ultimate price simply for doing their job”, said Nina Ognianova, Europe and Central Asia Programme Coordinator for the Committee to Protect Journalists.

“For decades, leading investigative journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia fought courageously to uncover corruption in her native Malta, in spite of ongoing intimidation, threats, lawsuits and attacks on her family home. Following her brutal murder, it is crucial that we come together to pay tribute to her bravery, to call for a full and impartial investigation, and to continue her legacy”, said Cat Lucas, Writers at Risk Programme Manager for English PEN.

“We are shocked and saddened at the death of Daphne Caruana Galizia. It’s important and necessary that we acknowledge her today and moving forward to pay tribute to her bravery in fighting corruption in her country. Her tragic death will serve as a stark reminder of the dangers journalists around the world face every day in doing their important work”, said Laura Gane, Editorial Director of the Frontline Club.

“The murder of a prominent investigative journalist in broad daylight in an EU Member State underscores the seriousness of this crime. Daphne Caruana Galizia’s work as a journalist to hold power to account and shine a light on corruption is vital to maintaining our democratic institutions. Her killing is a loss for her country and for Europe”, said Hannah Machlin, Project Manager for Index on Censorship’s Mapping Media Freedom programme.

“Daphne Caruana Galizia was a lone but important voice, and her death leaves a void in a country that urgently needs to address the growing widespread perception that it is failing in its efforts to end corruption”, said Patricia Moreira, Managing Director of Transparency International.

Co-sponsors of the London vigil included ARTICLE 19, the Committee to Protect Journalists, English PEN, Frontline Club, Index on Censorship, PEN International, Reporters Without Borders, and Transparency International.

Malta is ranked 47th out of 180 countries in Reporters Without Borders’ 2017 World Press Freedom Index, and 47th out of 176 countries in Transparency International’s Corruption Perception Index 2016.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/2″][vc_single_image image=”80577″ img_size=”full” onclick=”custom_link” link=”https://www.indexoncensorship.org/2017/10/impunity-crimes-against-journalists-unresolved/”][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/2″][vc_column_text]

#NoImpunity: Crimes against journalists go unresolved

Index on Censorship and Reporters Without Borders have highlighted prominent cases of impunity.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/2″][vc_single_image image=”96085″ img_size=”full” onclick=”custom_link” link=”https://www.indexoncensorship.org/2017/10/daphne-caruana-galizia-life-and-career/”][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/2″][vc_column_text]

Daphne Caruana Galizia: Life and career of murdered Maltese journalist

Daphne Caruana Galizia was a Maltese journalist and blogger known for her investigative reporting on controversial and sensitive information.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/2″][vc_single_image image=”96373″ img_size=”full” onclick=”custom_link” link=”https://www.indexoncensorship.org/2017/10/international-press-freedom-groups-condemn-killing-maltese-investigative-journalist/”][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/2″][vc_column_text]

International press freedom groups condemn killing of Maltese investigative journalist

Sixteen press freedom groups condemn the killing of investigative journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia and demand an immediate and independent investigation into her death.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][vc_custom_heading text=”Mapping Media Freedom” use_theme_fonts=”yes”][vc_separator color=”black”][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/4″][vc_icon icon_fontawesome=”fa fa-times-circle” color=”black” background_style=”rounded” size=”xl” align=”right”][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”3/4″][vc_column_text]

Index on Censorship monitors press freedom in 42 European countries.

Since 24 May 2014, Mapping Media Freedom’s team of correspondents and partners have recorded and verified 3,597 violations against journalists and media outlets.

Index campaigns to protect journalists and media freedom. You can help us by submitting reports to Mapping Media Freedom.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][vc_separator color=”black”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_custom_heading text=”Don’t lose your voice. Stay informed.” use_theme_fonts=”yes”][vc_separator color=”black”][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/2″][vc_column_text]Index on Censorship is a nonprofit that campaigns for and defends free expression worldwide. We publish work by censored writers and artists, promote debate, and monitor threats to free speech. We believe that everyone should be free to express themselves without fear of harm or persecution – no matter what their views.

Join our mailing list (or follow us on Twitter or Facebook) and we’ll send you our weekly newsletter about our activities defending free speech. We won’t share your personal information with anyone outside Index.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/2″][gravityform id=”20″ title=”false” description=”false” ajax=”false”][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][vc_separator color=”black”][/vc_column][/vc_row]

Protesters demand justice after murder of Maltese journalist

02 Nov 17 | Europe and Central Asia, Malta, Mapping Media Freedom, Media Freedom, media freedom featured, News and features

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Daphne Caruana Galizia protest 1

On 2 November, the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes Against Journalists, Index joined activists and five other organisations for a vigil outside the High Commissioner’s Office of Malta for murdered journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia.

Caruana Galizia was one of the best-known journalists and bloggers in Malta, recognised for her fearless reporting on controversial information surrounding government corruption. On 16 October 2017 Caruana Galizia was murdered in a car bomb attack near her home. 

“The murder of a prominent investigative journalist in broad daylight in an EU member state underscores the seriousness of this crime,” said Hannah Machlin, project manager for Index on Censorship’s Mapping Media Freedom programme. “Daphne Caruana Galizia’s work as a journalist to hold power to account and shine a light on corruption is vital to maintaining our democratic institutions.”

Credit: Cat Lucas / English Pen

Galizia’s blog, Running Commentary, often generated more readers than all of the country’s newspapers combined. At the time of her death, over 40 libel suits had been taken out against her. According to her son, death threats were almost a daily occurrence.

“She knew there was a price to pay, but I never thought it was going to be this,” Gabriel Fraga, a friend of Caruana Galizia’s son, told Index. “Independent journalism is made by people like her. If we don’t protect people like her then we don’t have independent journalism.” 

Protesters called on the European Union to hold the Maltese government accountable and to further investigate corruption in the EU.

“I’m hoping that today’s gathering really helps to establish more public pressure on the Maltese authorities and the international community to really take this seriously and investigate it,” Rebecca Vincent, UK bureau director of Reporters Without Borders said. “It’s a vicious cycle of these attacks and then impunity. It really sends a signal when nobody is ever brought to justice that violence is an acceptable means of silencing opinions, which is not the case.”

Daphne Caruana Galizia protest 3

Attendees of the vigil held signs with the words #EndImpunity and #NoImpunity, chanted and read aloud articles published by Caruana Galizia.

“This shouldn’t silence her. This should fuel people to carry on her work,” Melanie Vella, said. Vella is from Malta and has written pieces for the Malta Times.

The vigil in London was attended by many concerned Maltese journalists. Across Malta, Caruana Galizia’s death shocked citizens. 

Caruana Galizia’s work is sure to continue to inspire activists of free expression in Malta and worldwide.

Daphne Caruana Galizia protest 4[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_basic_grid post_type=”post” max_items=”4″ element_width=”6″ grid_id=”vc_gid:1509644448228-6e3e0e89-f48b-9″][/vc_column][/vc_row]

Vigil for Daphne Caruana Galizia

25 Oct 17 | Events

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”96247″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center”][vc_column_text]Join us to mark the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes Against Journalists by joining a vigil mourning the death of Maltese investigative journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia, who was murdered on Monday 16 October.

Daphne Caruana Galizia was a Maltese journalist and blogger known for her investigative reporting on controversial and sensitive information.

Fifteen days after filing a police report that she was being threatened, Caruana Galizia was killed when the car she was driving exploded.

“We strongly condemn the violent killing of investigative journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia. We urge the Maltese authorities to swiftly and thoroughly investigate the circumstances to bring the perpetrators to justice,” Hannah Machlin, project manager of Mapping Media Freedom, said.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

When: Thursday 2 November 1-2pm
Where: Malta High Commission, Malta House, 36-38 Piccadilly, Mayfair, London W1J 0LE (Map)

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Daphne Caruana Galizia: Life and career of murdered Maltese journalist

17 Oct 17 | Europe and Central Asia, Malta, Mapping Media Freedom, Media Freedom, media freedom featured, News and features

Daphne Caruana Galizia was a Maltese journalist and blogger known for her investigative reporting on controversial and sensitive information.

Fifteen days after filing a police report that she was being threatened, Caruana Galizia was killed when the car she was driving exploded.

“We strongly condemn the violent killing of investigative journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia. We urge the Maltese authorities to swiftly and thoroughly investigate the circumstances to bring the perpetrators to justice,” Hannah Machlin, project manager of Mapping Media Freedom, said.

Caruana Galizia ran her own news blog, Running Commentary. The site sometimes attracted as many as 400,000 readers a day (Malta’s population is just around 420,000). Her blog relentlessly exposed corruption among Malta’s politicians. It became the focal point of many legal battles, including multiple libel suits.

In August 2017, opposition leader Adrian Delia filed a lawsuit against Caruana Galizia over stories linking him with offshore accounts connected to sex work in London. She accused Delia of money laundering, claiming that around £1 million earned from prostitution in London flats was being processed through Delia’s Barclays International account in Jersey. Delia filed five libel suits against Caruana Galizia.

Caruana Galizia also published a series of articles accusing Silvio Debono, owner of real estate investment company DB Group, of making a deal with the Malta government to take over a huge area of public land to build a Hard Rock Hotel and two towers of flats for sale. In March 2017 Debono filed 19 libel cases against Caruana Galizia.

When Galizia reported in February that Economic Minister Chris Cardona and EU presidency policy officer Joseph Gerada visited a brothel in Germany while on official business, four precautionary warrants froze her assets. Each politician also filed two civil suits against her.

In January 2016, lawyers requested that Caruana Galizia reveal confidential sources, one of which claimed that the energy minister was seen kissing his communications coordinator. The minister’s lawyers questioned her “professional capacity as a journalist”.

Caruana Galizia was the first to report that Malta’s government minister Konrad Mizzi and chief of staff Keith Schembri were connected to the Panama Papers leak. Her involvement in history’s biggest data leak named her among Politico’s “28 people who are shaping, shaking, and stirring Europe”.

In March 2013 she was arrested for discussing politics on the internet during “day of silence,” a day in which no one in Malta is allowed to publish anything that may have an effect on voters or voters’ intentions. On her blog post recounting the experience: “It was obvious to me that they had come with a warrant of arrest to have an excuse to keep me locked up until tomorrow and away from the internet, literally physically preventing me from writing.”

Caruana Galizia was born in Sliema on the northeast coast of Malta in 1964. She attended the University of Malta and graduated BA in archaeology in 1997. She began her career as a columnist for the Sunday Times of Malta in 1987 and later became the Associate Editor of The Malta Independent.

One of her sons, Matthew Caruana Galizia, was part of the team that broke the Panama Papers.