Daphne Caruana Galizia, 53, was a leading anti-corruption journalist from Malta, killed in a car bombing near her home in 2017. The many threats she received have contributed to the difficulty in determining just who was responsible for her death. Caruana Galizia was killed by a car bomb on October 16, 2017. He described the grisly scene in a Facebook post after her death. Malta's Prime Minister Joseph Muscat has denied all allegations of wrongdoing. Until now. (CNN)Daphne Caruana Galizia, 53, was a leading anti-corruption journalist from Malta, killed in a car bombing near her home in 2017. Matthew Carbone, the Head of Government Communications in Malta, told CNN the country's Attorney General and the Police Commissioner both recommended the pardon, which is subject to a number of conditions and can be reversed. Fenech's lawyer Gianluca Caruana Curran declined to comment on this story to CNN. "Daphne Caruana Galizia was an extremely brave and resilient reporter, who was also a flame thrower," producer Michael Gavshon told 60 Minutes Overtime in … Such an investigation has not yet been launched. On Thursday, the EU confirmed that it would send a mission to Malta to investigate the state of the rule of law in the country. Many, including Caruana Galizia's own family, have criticized the official investigation into her death, and claim that the investigation could lead directly to Prime Minister Muscat -- if he were not also leading the investigation. Lawyer Joe Brincat has filed a note in the acts of the Daphne Caruana Galizia public inquiry, flagging the murdered journalist’s “philosophy” on police protection. Malta U-turn: Prince George can keep his shark tooth fossil. You can do so anonymously, but if you use your real name you can rest assured that this website operates a blanket policy of non-disclosure and does not cooperate with requests for details from the authorities or individuals. Go-between in car bombing of Maltese journalist was found in pool of blood despite 24-hour police guard The Daphne Caruana Galizia memorial suffused with flowers, posters and candles at the Great Siege Monument was cleared every evening on direct order from then-Justice Minister Owen Bonnici, but was stubbornly recreated every morning by activists. Following harassment and threats, she was murdered in a car bomb explosion on 16 October 2017. He has a huge conflict of interest," he added. Daphne Caruana Galizia, 53, was killed in a car bombing near Mosta , Malta on 16 October 2017. …, Post a comment | Read (8) | Saturday, 14 October 12:26 am, Post a comment | Read (17) | Friday, 13 October 11:20 pm, Post a comment | Read (4) | Friday, 13 October 6:29 pm, Toni Bezzina, the member of parliament, entered the contest to become the Nationalist Party’s deputy …, Post a comment | Read (8) | Friday, 13 October 6:19 pm, Post a comment | Read (9) | Friday, 13 October 5:22 pm, David Agius today came forward officially as a contender for the election of the Nationalist …, Post a comment | Read (15) | Friday, 13 October 4:46 pm, Yesterday in the car I was listening to the lunchtime talk-show on the Nationalist Party’s …, Post a comment | Read (16) | Friday, 13 October 12:45 pm, In an interview with The Malta Independent last Sunday, Mrs Delia – the Opposition leader’s …, Post a comment | Read (31) | Thursday, 12 October 8:45 pm, Post a comment | Read (4) | Thursday, 12 October 7:21 pm, The outfit which Mrs Adrian Delia wore to watch her husband sworn in as Opposition …, Post a comment | Read (18) | Thursday, 12 October 6:53 pm. What was left of Caruana Galizia's body was found by her son Matthew, who was living at home at the time. As Matthew Caruana Galizia tweeted Wednesday, "Even after his chief of staff was arrested on suspicion of murder, Muscat still ordering the memorial to my mum to be cleared." Daphne Caruana Galizia was a Maltese journalist, blogger and anti-corruption activist who reported extensively on corruption, money laundering, organised crime, sale of citizenship and the Maltese government’s links to the Panama Papers. Whilst Bernard Grech’s relationship with Caruana Galizia is practically non-existent, the journalist had had a lot to say about the party’s former leader – Adrian Delia. If you have any information to contribute to Running Commentary, please email Daphne Caruana Galizia in complete confidence at [email protected]. Paltry €50,000 fine for illegal Siggiewi zoo lifted in exchange for state school visits, Owner of illegal Siggiewi zoo parties with Environment Minister one day before Planning Authority sanctions it, World Economic Forum index/Malta: public trust in politicians plummets 17 places in one year, When freeloading Clyde Puli spent 16 days at the Olympic Games in China and made us pay for it, The leader of the Nationalist Party and Miss Rebecca Dimech, Well, the Kap tal-Kattolici u l-Latini certainly has a roving eye. CNN has contacted the government on whether it will open an inquiry into the circumstances. In 2018, Věra Jourová, the EU's commissioner for justice, traveled to Malta to meet with top officials on the investigation. When he heard the blast, he ran barefoot to the nearby field where what was left of her car was scattered. But in 2010, her police protection was cut in half, which she. Daphne Caruana Galizia murder: Three charged over killing of Maltese journalist who exposed Panama Papers corruption. Caruana Galizia had faced numerous death threats, and had been under police protection for years. A spokeswoman said that "there are a few people we are investigating. The couple have denied the allegations. Chris Cardona (right) walking into court with lawyer Jonathan Cardona. "The Prime Minister, despite the clear evidence in hand, kept defending his inner circle of people. He was then detained and held without charge for 48 hours, under Maltese law which requires suspects to be charged within that time frame or set free. People outside a church in Valletta, Malta, after a mass in memory of Caruana Galizia. The $100,000 prize is one of the world’s largest awards recognizing leadership and courage in protecting human rights while promoting transparency and the rule of law and combatting corruption. Europe. Muscat was a frequent target of Caruana Galizia's investigations into corruption, especially due to his wife's alleged involvement in the Panama companies. The government attributed wider cuts in police protection to budget decreases, but it has not explained why it removed Caruana Galizia's protection. The pardon was requested by Prime Minister Muscat in exchange for Theuma's testimony. The detentions at the time were largely seen as an answer to growing pressure from the European Union on Muscat's government to show good faith in investigating her murder. "The PM appoints the police commissioner, the judges, the magistrates, all the supervisors, the ministers, the attorney general.". Royal Family. Schembri was released without charge on Thursday, according to. Daphne Caruana Galizia. We won't give any information on their identity. @ICIJorg published anyway and I'm still proud of the "positive, world-changing result", as she said about the last one. Her family have petitioned the government of Prime Minister Muscat to open a public inquiry into whether the removal of police protection ultimately led to her death. Caruana Galizia died on October 16, 2017, when her rented Peugeot 108 was detonated by a remote control device on a country lane near her home in Bidnija, Malta. In December 2017, 10 people were arrested in connection with setting the bomb that killed Caruana Galizia. CNN has been unable to reach Theuma's lawyer for comment. She focused on investigative journalism, reporting on government corruption, allegations of money laundering and organised crime. Caruana Galizia first earned her reputation as an activist in 1982 when she landed in jail at the age of 18, for protesting against what she felt was a corrupt government. The European Union's special rapporteur to Malta Pieter Omtzigt, told CNN that he believes Muscat faces a conflict of interest in leading the investigation into Caruana Galizia's death. "[Muscat] can also recommend a presidential pardon. Muscat has repeatedly denied any involvement in the murder, its cover-up or any seeming lack of thorough investigation. A dedicated investigative journalist and fearless fighter for human rights, Daphne Caruana Galizia would have been 55 on August 26, 2019. “Those who wanted to silence my mother made a terrible miscalculation,” he said. Both had been named in the, Omtzigt told CNN Tuesday that Schembri had been arrested. Now justice for her murder seems as far away as ever, US slides down global press freedom rankings amid warning of 'climate of fear' for journalists, Duterte critic Maria Ressa says attacks on press freedom come from all sides, aftermath of the Panama Papers investigations, Three charged over murder of Maltese journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia. Investigative journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia was killed when a bomb planted in her car detonated. They are at the very least guilty of allowing a situation to precipitate to a stage where a journalist was assassinated to shut her up for good.". Daphne Caruana Galizia and Danske Bank whistle-blower Howard Wilkinson were jointly awarded the 2020 Allard Prize for International Integrity at a virtual ceremony held yesterday. Police have also released dramatic footage of an arrest operation Caruana Galizia's work made her many powerful enemies while she was alive, and she was sued for libel on multiple occasions. Countless stunts, banners and public protest art sprung across the island and become normal-place. Ivan Martin recaps this week’s claims and revelations as the political fall-out from the Daphne Caruana Galizia murder case continues. News. "Allowing Daphne Caruana Galizia to be so cruelly murdered was a failure of the State, of its government and of its institutions." Caruana Galizia's family have said that they believe the Prime Minister wanted her dead. The first time I mentioned her by name was in parliament after her murder. She has received over a dozen posthumous awards for excellence of journalism. The Daphne Caruana Galizia Foundation, Valletta, Malta. "I looked down and there were my mother's body parts all around me," he wrote. Her family say she was "assassinated" because of her work uncovering alleged corruption in the Maltese government. On November 25, Malta President George Vella pardoned a taxi driver named Melvin Theuma, who had been accused of working as an intermediary between the three men charged with her murder and others who ordered the killing. She spent her early career writing for Malta's largest publications, including the Sunday Times of Malta and the Malta Independent, for whom she wrote regular columns until her untimely death. Opposition leader’s wife says convicted drug dealer’s girlfriend is “one of my closest and most t... No, this is not a real tweet – but it’s as good as. Fenech was most recently arrested on his yacht, while heading for international waters, according to a spokesman for Maltese Armed Forces. He has previously said that justice would be served in Caruana Galizia's murder investigation. After her death, a group of 45 journalists representing 18 news organizations from 15 countries launched ", The EU has demanded answers from Malta since the murder, with little success. 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", Keith Schembri, the Prime Minister's chief of staff, and Konrad Mizzi, Malta's tourism minister both left their posts, Muscat has announced. The testimonies of her close family portrayed a different picture of Caruana Galizia, one that was known only to her loved ones who gave a harrowing portrayal of the environment she was working in and how it had worsened over the years. Maltese police would not confirm to CNN who else is under investigation. Daphne Caruana Galizia would vary from world-class journalism to petty pieces about me and my children eating a burger. pic.twitter.com/u8yzXwJTI1. Of particular note to many foreign news organizations is the fact that flowers and candles and other tributes are regularly removed from the makeshift site dedicated to Caruana Galizia in the capital of Valletta on the Great Siege Square, even as Malta's political landscape is roiled by the investigation's fallout. Prince George can keep his shark tooth fossil, says Malta. In 2016, Caruana Galizia broke a story about a string of secret Panama-based companies tied to Maltese politicians on her blog, including allegations of corruption against Maltese Prime Minister Joseph Muscat's wife. https://t.co/MQlfIq1Aop, My full statement below. The … — Louis Galea, former home affairs minister in Malta. Daphne Caruana Galizia, an independent journalist working in Malta, was killed by a car bomb in October 2017, after investigating corruption among the country's elite. "Checks and balances on the Prime Minister are totally insufficient to solve this situation," he told CNN. Her family say she was "assassinated" because of … Daphne Caruana Galizia murder: middleman found with stab wounds ahead of court date. Seven of the detained people were eventually let go, but brothers Alfred and George Degiorgio along with Vincent Muscat, no relation to the Prime Minister, have been formally charged with her murder. No trial date has been set. In her testimony, Caruana Galizia’s mother, Rose Vella, said that both she and her husband were worried about their da… If you have any information to contribute to Running Commentary, please email Daphne Caruana Galizia in complete confidence at [email protected].You can do so anonymously, but if you use your real name you can rest assured that this website operates a blanket policy of non-disclosure and does not cooperate with requests for details from the authorities or individuals. ", After Theuma received a presidential pardon, two prominent members of Muscat's Cabinet resigned this week. Europe's justice commission wrote soon after the murder that it "expects an independent and thorough investigation to uncover who is really responsible for Daphne's murder, we want the full truth. Daphne Caruana Galizia was an investigative reporter, a towering, intense mother of three, digging up dirt on the most powerful figures in Malta, the European Union's smallest member state. In a statement emailed to CNN, Carbone said the Prime Minister "has always taken the necessary decisions for the country to keep moving forward. "Keith Schembri, who until yesterday was the chief of staff of the Prime Minister has been arrested and his house searched." Paul Caruana Galizia, one of Daphne’s three sons, said the truth was emerging, albeit painfully slowly. I was in …, Post a comment | Read (33) | Sunday, 15 October 7:26 pm, The disgraceful thing is that this man has been Nationalist Party whip in parliament for …, Post a comment | Read (9) | Saturday, 14 October 12:52 am, “I don’t recall any other budget having given so much pleasure.” Police believe that the anti-corruption journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia was killed for what she was about to reveal about a government-sponsored power station deal, a … He claims that the prime minister initially sought to shield members of his inner circle whom she investigated, and that his government's failure to provide sufficient protection to Caruana Galizia ultimately led to her death. She became more fearful for her safety when the Labour Party was voted into government in 2013 and this increased even more during the last years of her life. Gutter gossip. She wrote about me thousands of times. In a previous visit, MEPs Ana Gomes, The same statement said recent shifts in Maltese personnel involved with the case could be interpreted "as a way to delay and stall in the investigation.". She used to like to write about me from before I became leader of the Opposition. Thousands of people gather for a candlelight vigil in Sliema on October 16, 2017. Chris Cardona waits outside the hall. Daphne Caruana Galizia was a Maltese anti-corruption investigative journalist and blogger who was killed in a car bomb attack on 16 October 2017. Her son Matthew Caruana Galizia, told CNN that she was driving a rental car at the time, out of fear that someone might target her car in an attempt to kill her. Peter Caruana Galizia and the journalist's two sisters are among those in the room. ", The party said it "categorically condemns the brutal murder of Ms. Daphne Caruana Galizia and is satisfied that the government provided all the necessary resources to the country's institutions and authorities to seek justice in this case.". All three suspects have pleaded not guilty. Muscat has denied all allegations of wrongdoing. A third announced he was "suspending himself. Former Opposition leader Simon Busuttil testified in court this morning, as did the Prime Minister’s More, You can wear the flashiest watch and keep your snazzy shirt-cuff turned up to make …, Post a comment | Read (4) | Monday, 16 October 2:09 pm, Exit polls show that Sebastian Kurz, 31, is about to become Austria’s new chancellor and …, Post a comment | Read (18) | Sunday, 15 October 10:07 pm, Is it going to be a five-year electoral campaign now, or what? The pardon is essentially Malta's version of immunity from prosecution, and means that Theuma cannot be tried for any alleged involvement in Caruana Galizia's murder. By Sharon Braithwaite and Barbie Latza Nadeau, CNN, Updated 10:29 AM ET, Sat November 30, 2019. Earlier this week, Maltese opposition leader Adrian Delia told CNN that the murder had shaken the country's politics, and placed the blame squarely on the prime minister and his inner circle. There is no place in the EU for the murder of journalists.". International condemnation of the lack of accountability in Caruana Galizia's murder has been widespread, from Pope Francis -- who took the unusual move to send condolences for the death of a private citizen -- to rights groups that have kept her investigative work alive. And Chris Cardona, Malta's Economy minister, suspended himself this week, "pending the investigations and proceedings going on right now" according to a, When asked about the resignations and suspension of the three Labour members, Malta's Labour Party told CNN in a statement that "investigations are ongoing and the information that we have at this stage is from news reports which still need to be corroborated when persons are arraigned in court. The Daphne Project: ‘Her voice will not be silenced’ When anti-corruption journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia was killed in a car bombing in Malta last year, the investigations she was working on came to a sudden halt. Much of her work before her death was focused on the findings of the Panama Papers: millions of documents that leaked from a law firm in Panama in April 2016. He has since been released on police bail. Daphne Caruana Galizia, an independent journalist working in Malta, was killed by a car bomb in October 2017, after investigating corruption among the country’s elite. ", "At the same time all resources were given to our independent institutions to leave no stone unturned and get to the truth behind the murder of Daphne Caruana Galizia," the statement said, adding that Muscat "will refrain from commenting on issues directly related to the investigation.". "One has to put this investigation within a context, that context being a series of corruption scandals that were outed by Daphne Caruana Galizia, the press and the opposition," Delia told CNN. Her work laid the groundwork for the publication first of the Paradise Papers and later the Panama Papers by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists. The Paradise Papers are what I was working on for over a year right up until my mother was assassinated a few hundred metres from me, weeks from publication. ROME–If Daphne Caruana Galizia, who was assassinated in October 2017, knew one thing in the days before she died, it was that she was onto … These criminals developed a sense of impunity, and it is this sense of impunity that led to her murder just over two years ago," he said. He has vowed to continue his mother's work. Vincent Muscat later told police the bomb had been placed in Caruana Galizia's car while it was parked outside the walled compound where she lived. The journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia was “politically irrelevant because she fell out with both governing and opposition parties, and that’s when she was killed,” former Maltese Prime Minister Joseph Muscat told a public inquiry into her death on Friday, local media reported. 2.4K likes. EPA-EFE/DOMENIC AQUILINA A memorial for the slain Malta journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia at the Great Siege monument opposite the Malta law courts in Valletta, Malta, 05 December 2017.