Large crowd demands justice for assassinated Malta journalist

VALLETTA, Sept 16 - A large crowd marched through Malta's capital on Wednesday, demanding justice for assassinated anti-corruption journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia.

The protest was organised by civil society groups two weeks after the man accused of masterminding the murder was cleared by a jury in a decision that shocked many people in the European Union's smallest nation.

Caruana Galizia was killed by a car bomb in 2017. Three men who planted the bomb and two men who produced it are serving lengthy jail sentences, but the suspected mastermind, business mogul Yorgen Fenech, was acquitted of complicity in murder and criminal association following a two-month trial.

The verdict appalled the victim's family, and drew criticism from press freedom group Reporters Without Borders, which said it was "beyond outraged" by the decision.

Many of those taking part in Wednesday's demonstration shouted "mafia, mafia" and carried placards reading "Justice Denied," "End impunity" and "We will not look the other way".

Malta's attorney general is expected to launch an appeal but his room for manoeuvre is limited, as an appeal can only be made on points of law.

Caruana Galizia's father Michael Vella, in a message read by one of her nieces, told the crowd that their cause extended beyond securing accountability for his daughter's death.

"The struggle is not only for justice for Daphne, but for a country to be governed not by corruption and fear, but by sound institutions and the rule of law," he said.

Another of Caruana Galizia's nieces, Amy Mallia, who was just 15 when her aunt was killed, said Fenech's acquittal had brought back the emotions she experienced after her aunt's death.

"It is the same grief, disbelief, and anger," she said. "Money is power, for some. But there are some things money just cannot buy, including morals, ethics, truth."

Manuel Delia, a leader of the rule-of-law group Repubblika, which helped organise the mass protest, called for effective anti-mafia legislation and government action to protect journalists and ensure that national institutions were free of political or business pressure.

Malta's government has made no substantive comment on the verdict, urging caution in public statements while an appeal is considered.

Prosecutors alleged that Fenech wanted Caruana Galizia dead because she was about to reveal information about his business dealings. He denied the accusation. REUTERS