The Institute of Maltese Journalists (IĠM) has called on the police to investigate the threats made against Manuel Delia.
Manuel Delia said that he will be leaving Malta as he feared for his safety, having received threats. The news was first reported on Articolo 21, an Italian organisation advocating for freedom of expression. Writing on his website, Delia said: "I'm not going away to stop writing. I'm going away to be able to focus on my work without having to give too much heed to nuisance phone calls in the middle of the night and the sort of noise that is designed to distract me. Another thing. I'm not alone going through this. Far from it. I'm in the news because of an interview I gave to an Italian website but you know because you read it in the news that there are other journalists, activists, lawyers and state officials that are under a lot of pressure right now and have just as much reason to be concerned. I can do my work remotely for some time which is a relative advantage. They can't. So don't worry about me. Worry about them. Stick together. Right now there are many cornered rats that are realising their hubris was unjustified. But they will go down. This too will pass."
The IGM said in a statement that it is extremely concerned by Manuel Delia's announcement that he will leave Malta out of fear that he will be harmed.
"It is no one's position to judge whether this fear is justifiable or not. The assassination of Daphne Caruana Galizia has traumatised Malta's media industry and we work everyday with the knowledge in the front or back of our minds that there are dangerous people out there who are ready to kill journalists. That scar will remain until full justice is served," the IGM said.
"While the work of journalists should be subject to criticism and scrutiny, there are lines of basic human decency that should never be crossed. Like everyone else, journalists have a right and responsibility to ensure that we and our families are safe. The more toxic and dangerous the environment gets, the more likely it is that journalists will decide to leave the profession. At the end of the day, the true victim will be Maltese society, whose right to free information would have taken a hit."
"We urge the police to thoroughly investigate the threats Mr Delia has received and we call on Prime Minister Robert Abela and all other stakeholders in democracy to publicly condemn them in the spirit of safeguarding the fourth estate. The IĠM council expresses its solidarity with Mr Delia and his family in these difficult times."
ADPD Chairperson Carmel Cacopardo also spoke out about the situation, saying that the news Delia will leave because of threats "should be shocking to us all."
Cacopardo wrote the following on Facebook: "A few days before the anniversary of Daphne Caruana Galizia's brutal assassination four years ago, there are still people who feel that they can intimidate, spew hate, threats and silence others. The Police Force should crack down on these people. As things stand, it seems that the Police Force is seen as not being effective. This country is sick. Sick with hate and fear. Social media has become a breeding ground for hate mongers and bullies. Threats of violence are rife. On behalf of ADPD - The Green Party and personally I express my solidarity with Manuel Delia and his family. His sacrifices, and the sacrifices of others who suffer in silence will one day be vindicated when this country gets rid of the fear and hate which have taken root over the years."