Press freedom organisations express concerns about delay in delivering justice over the 2017 murder of Daphen Caruana Galizia; and call on Malta’s Attorney General to ask for the assistance of Europol, in line with the EP recommendation.
The letter, signed by 11 organisations including the AEJ, is here:-
TO: Dr. Peter Grech,
Attorney General,
Office of the Attorney General,
The Palace,
Republic Street,
Valletta, VLT 2000
CC:
Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission
Vera Jourova, Vice-President for Values and Transparency
Catherine De Bolle, Executive Director of Europol
Didier Reynders, European Commissioner for Justice
May 5, 2020
Re: Invitation for Europol Joint Investigation Team (murdered journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia
Dear Attorney General,
We the undersigned press freedom organizations are writing to request that you invite the European
Union Agency for Law Enforcement Cooperation (Europol) to provide further support to legal
proceedings in relation to the October 2017 murder of Maltese journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia.
We remain deeply concerned that legal proceedings around the murder have not yet delivered full
justice for Caruana Galizia or her family.
Europol’s involvement could provide valuable support and help secure a successful result in the
case. In Slovakia, Europol assistance was praised for its contribution to the legal proceedings in the
case of murdered journalist Jan Kuciak.
The call to invite Europol was made, along with other recommendations, by the European
Parliament’s Rule of Law Monitoring Group. New leadership in Malta has led to expectations that
both the recommendations in the December 2019 European Parliament Resolution, as well as the
2018 Venice Commission Report, will be delivered. Europol’s strengthened support can also
contribute to addressing these. We also hope that Europol could help facilitate legal proceedings,
including improving the cooperation of the Maltese authorities with all foreign jurisdictions and
enabling better access to information.
The Maltese authorities have a new opportunity to demonstrate that justice will be delivered for
Caruana Galizia and her family by requesting that Europol immediately establish a Joint
Investigation Team. By delivering justice in this important case, the Maltese authorities will
demonstrate that no one in Malta is above the law and that journalists will be protected.
Sincerely,
Article 19
Association of European Journalists
Committee to Protect Journalists
European Centre for Press and Media Freedom
Free Press Unlimited
IFEX
Index on Censorship
International Press Institute
PEN International
Reporters without Borders
Scottish Pen