Nine international press freedom organisations have appealed to Attorney General Peter Grech to request Europol to immediately set up a joint investigation team to support the judicial proceedings linked to the assassination of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia.
Dr. Peter Grech, Attorney General,
Office of the Attorney General, The Palace, Republic Street, Valletta, VLT 2000
CC: Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, Věra Jourová, Vice-President for Values and Transparency, Catherine De Bolle, Executive Director of Europol, Didier Reynders, European Commissioner for Justice
May 5, 2020
Re: Invitation for Europol Joint Investigation Team (murdered journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia)
Dear Attorney General,
We the undersigned press freedom organizations are writing to request that you invite the European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Cooperation (Europol) to provide further support to legal proceedings in relation to the October 2017 murder of Maltese journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia. We remain deeply concerned that legal proceedings around the murder have not yet delivered full justice for Caruana Galizia or her family.
Europol’s involvement could provide valuable support and help secure a successful result in the case. In Slovakia, Europol assistance was praised for its contribution to the legal proceedings in thecase 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. 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, will 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 Maltese authorities 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 willdemonstrate that no one in Malta is above the law and that journalists will be protected.
Sincerely,
- 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
- Scottish Pen
