If journalists are silenced, so is democracy: Justice for Daphne!

We have a special guest today among the journalists who have accepted our invitation to be present in the last plenary session of 2019.

His name is Andrew Caruana Galizia, son of Daphne Caruana Galizia, the Maltese journalist who was assassinated on 16 October 2017 because she was investigating and exposing cases of corruption at the highest levels of government.

The revelations of the past few weeks have confirmed what Daphne had long warned about before her murder: that the rule of law in the European Union’s smallest member state had been compromised by those very same people whose duty it was to protect the citizens of Malta.

Since then, in other EU Member States, other journalists have died while working on investigative stories. All stood up for democracy and the rule of law. All died because nothing could silence them.

Media freedom is at the core of the values we hold dear. If journalists are silenced, so is democracy.

The peace and stability of Europe depends on democracy, the rule of law and the army of journalists that everyday defend our fundamental freedoms.

It is crucial that all those responsible for the murder of Daphne are put to justice as soon as possible, as European citizens and Maltese citizens in particular cannot tolerate any further delays.

It is my firm view that the Maltese authorities must immediately start to put in place all the necessary safeguards to ensure that the rule of law is safeguarded, that institutions are allowed to function in a proper and independent manner and that justice is applied to all without fear or favour

What we have seen in Malta is an unparalleled wave of protests that has led to the announced resignation of the Prime Minister, as well as the resignation of the people closest to him. Our call is to the Maltese authority to pursue a thorough and complete reform without any kind of delay.

From my part, I am proud of the Maltese civil society organisations which have gathered together in the Civil Society Network to call for justice as no one should be above the law.

I wish to express to all the Maltese CSO our strong solidarity and support in this crucial moment for the future of their country, for the promotion of the fundamentals values of our Europe. We are with you!

Now, I would like to show you what happened last Sunday on the streets of Valletta. Sometimes showing is better than telling … the images you are going to see in a minute where hundreds of people are singing together the national Maltese anthem, calling for justice, are the living testimony of the strength of the Maltese civil society.

I will ask you a minute of silence while watching these images: 

 

#Invicta

Posted by Civil Society Network on Sunday, 8 December 2019

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