AG asked to request Europol joint investigation on Caruana Galizia assassination

The Committee to Protect Journalists has written to the Attorney General, calling for Malta to ask Europol to set up a joint investigation team to support the judicial proceedings linked to the assassination of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia.

The letter, signed by 11 NGOs working on press freedom, said it was “deeply concerned that legal proceedings around the murder have not yet delivered full justice for Caruana Galizia or her family.”

The NGOs said that Europol’s involvement could provide valuable support and help secure a successful result in the case. It sights that 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.

The media watchdog said that 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 would 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 NGOs said that the Maltese authorities now 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.”

The letter was signed by 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 and Scottish Pen.