Malta: PEN International joins call to Attorney General asking for Europol support for murdered journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia
Journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia was killed in a car bomb attack in October 2017
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
Věra Jourová, Vice-President for Values and Transparency
Catherine De Bolle, Executive Director of Europol
Didier Reynders, European Commissioner for Justice
May 5, 2020
Sent via email
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