Council of Europe to send monitor on Caruana Galizia murder investigation

The Council of Europe will be sending a monitor to oversee the ongoing investigation into the murder of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia.

Dutch MP Pieter Omtzigt was on Monday appointed rapporteur by the legal affairs committee of the Council of Europe.

In January, Omtzigt filed a motion for a resolution, calling for international monitoring of the Caruana Galizia murder investigation.

The motion titled, ‘Daphne Caruana Galizia’s assassination and the rule of law, in Malta and beyond: ensuring that the whole truth emerges’, was signed by 113 other MPs from all political groups.

The legal affairs committee on the Council of Europe just appointed me as rapporteur on the report on the assassination of Daphne Caruana Galizia in Malta

— Pieter Omtzigt (@PieterOmtzigt) April 23, 2018

The Council of Europe’s spring session started meeting today.

In a tweet, Omtzigt confirmed his appointment as rapporteur “on the report on the assassination of Daphne Caruana Galizia”.

The motion drawn up by Omtzigt gained widespread support and spoke of the responsibility of the international community to monitor the ongoing murder investigation.

It also asked the assembly to ensure that all aspects surrounding the assassination were “thoroughly and impartially investigated by the authorities, without political interference suspected by numerous Maltese demonstrators”.

Part of Omtzigt’s mission will include a review of institutional failures and “the systematic targeting of Caruana Galizia for her work”.

According to a reply given earlier this month, the committee of ministers of the Council of Europe had expressed confidence in the work being carried out by the Maltese authorities in their investigation of the murder.

The committee was answering a question filed by Omtzigt, who asked whether it would be requesting explanations from the Maltese government on the “failure” of the police to investigate money laundering by government officials and adequately protect Caruana Galizia.

The committee said it did not see any reason for taking additional measures, as the necessary investigations were being conducted by “independent judicial bodies and in full cooperation with all competent Council of Europe mechanisms in place”.

Despite the committee of ministers’ reply, the parliamentary assembly has seen it fit to appoint a rapporteur on the case.

Caruana Galizia was killed on 16 October last year in a powerful car bomb, just after leaving her house in Bidnija.

Three men have been charged in court with the murder but those believed to have commissioned the crime are still at large.