Council of Europe renews call for justice to be done in Daphne Caruana Galizia murder

Maltese authorities must ensure that everyone involved in the murder of Daphne Caruana Galizia is identified and brought to just, the Council of Europe’s human rights commissioner said.

Dunja Mijatovic said the top priority for government should be to set in motion vital legislative and other reforms to fully implement the recommendations of the Caruana Galizia public inquiry report.

“The effective involvement of civil society in this process and ensuring accountability and transparency at all stages are key,” Mijatovic said.

The remarks were made in a report released on Tuesday following Mijatovic’s visit to Malta last October.

The Commissioner recommended a co-ordinated response to threats and attacks against journalists, including online, and increased awareness-raising among law enforcement agents.

She also warned that the adoption of a new media law to provide greater protection for journalists should not result in state interference in the regulation of their profession and invited the media community to adopt an effective system of self-regulation.

Mijatovic recommended the enactment of legislation to counter the use of vexatious lawsuits against journalists and the effective implementation of the Freedom of Information Act.

The report raised concerns over the “lack of a transparent system” for providing public aid to media outlets.

“Subsidies provided since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic have been a source of controversy, with politically-owned media houses reportedly favoured over independent outlets, thus further polarising the media environment,” Mijatovic said.

The report also highlights Malta’s failure to safeguard migrant rights during rescues and shortcomings in the protection of women’s rights.