Three months have passed since journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia was brutally assassinated when a car bomb was set off just down the road of her Bidnija home, and a vigil in her memory was held in Valletta today.
She died on 16 October, shortly after leaving her home in a rental car. Since then, vigils have been held, masses in her memory were organised, and protests calling for justice occurred. The atrocious act has been widely covered, not just in the local media, but internationally as well.
The vigil was held in front of the Great Siege Monument, opposite the law courts.
On 4 December, Prime Minister Joseph Muscat announced that 10 men had been arrested at a warehouse in Marsa in connection with the murder. Three were hauled before the courts and cases are underway.
The three in question are George Degiorgio, his brother Alfred Degiorgio and Vince Muscat had carried out the act.
PN MEPs David Casa, Roberta Metsola and Francis Zammit Dimech today issued a joint statement, paying tribute to the slain journalist.
"We will not stop fighting for justice, change and accountability. The masterminds behind the assassination of Daphne Caruana Galizia must be found and brought to justice. Three months ago, Daphne Caruana Galizia was assassinated because dark forces wanted to silence her. She was killed because she would not stop seeking the truth," they said
"Daphne Caruana Galizia's murder happened at a particular time in our country. The murder was planned and executed at a time when she was revealing shocking things about the corrupt government administration. It is therefore to no surprise that just last week, the European Parliament published a damning report on the current state of the rule of law in Malta. The Prime Minister should - at least - respect the conclusions of this report and act accordingly. However, he has refused to do his duty, as he is responsible for the institutional failure of our country."
"Recent history has shown that individuals or organisations who want to silence or intimidate journalists use two different routes: either murdering the journalist or instigating legal action outside EU jurisdiction. Such things cannot be accepted as the new normal. As representatives of Maltese and Gozitans in the European Parliament, will continue working to ensure EU legislation to protect journalists in their mission to investigate and find the truth" the three PN MEPs said.
In the UK, member of the Scottish Parliament James Dornan tabled a parliamentary motion Tuesday morning calling on Prime Minister Joseph Muscat to ensure that there is a full and open inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the assassination of Daphne Caruana Galizia.
In comments to Daphne Caruana Galizia's family on the occasion of the vigil - organised by Reporters Without Borders, English PEN, the Committee to Protect Journalists, ARTICLE 19 and Index on Censorship - before the Malta High Commission building in central London, Dornan said: "I completely condemn the brutal killing of Daphne Caruana Galizia and beseech Prime Minister Muscat to ensure that there is full and open inquiry into the circumstances surrounding this killing."
"The freedom to investigate, report and to speak about matters of importance to the public should be a human right denied to no one; no person should ever be harmed because of their occupation. I will be supporting the family of Daphne and as a member of the political international community I will be monitoring the situation closely; and I would urge others throughout the international community to do the same. This investigation has faced criticism up to this point due to the lack of transparency and this issue must be rectified immediately."
Photos and video by James Caruana