Exhibition, documentary, vigil to commemorate fifth anniversary of Daphne's murder

A series of events will be held next week in commemoration of the fifth anniversary of the assassination of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia.

During a press conference on Saturday morning, Robert Aquilina from Repubblika and Clemence Dujardin from Occupy Justice unveiled an exhibition entitled 'Daphne Eroj Maltija' [Daphne a Maltese hero].

Dujardin said that justice remains “elusive” even though one of the confessed killers is serving a reduced sentence and the trial of two of her killers is approaching.

“But even in comparison to what we know this is nowhere near where justice should be by now. Even worse is the failure of the state to act on the crimes Daphne’s murder was commissioned to cover up.”

She said that the Maltese state is unwilling or unable to prosecute criminals with political influence, and “crooks” like Keith Schembri and Yorgen Fenech are invited to mock justice and play the victim.

Occupy Justice said that since the Maltese state was unwilling or unable to render justice to Caruana Galizia, they were attempting to do that through the exhibition and a documentary, co-produced with Repubblika that is set to premiere on 12 October. The documentary will be looking into the investigations Daphne was working on right until the moment she was killed.

“Those stories continued to develop since she died, mostly through the work of other journalists who picked up her torch. Those stories confirmed Daphne was right. The Maltese state doesn’t want to acknowledge it. It would hurt them to admit that Daphne was right when our political leaders, subordinates of Joseph Muscat, had been so, so wrong,” Dujardin said.

She highlighted how the public inquiry into the murder of Caruana Galizia documented how the state failed to protect her life and actively created the atmosphere that allowed her killers to reach her.

“The same political leaders found responsible for running a state that killed a journalist, now want to write laws ostensibly to protect journalists. They expect us to trust them to empower journalists, to uncover their dalliances and their crimes.”

Archbishop Charles Scicluna will be saying mass in the morning of Sunday 16 October at the Bidnija chapel. At 3pm, during the same time and at the same place where Caruana Galizia was murdered, the women of Occupy Justice will pay a silent tribute to her.

“We will relive the silent horror of her taking, but we will continue to stand in hope that her example and her ultimate sacrifice moves hearts and minds. To us women Daphne was a particularly shining example.”

Also on 16 October, a demonstration will take place in front of Parliament, followed by a march to the court building, where a vigil will be later held. European President Roberta Metsola, Maria Falcone, sister of Giovanni Falcone – a judge that had been murdered by the mafia and journalist Carole Cadwalladr will participate in the event.

Carole Cadwalladr, who faced SLAPP suits will be answering questions in a session at the old university building on the evening of Saturday15 October.

“We are now worse off than we were on the eve of Daphne’s killing. Because now we have a government that openly lies by saying they have solved problems they have never accepted existed,” Dujardin said.

“Please join us at these events over the coming days and if you can. This is our nation, this is our home, and we are the people. We expect better, we deserve better, we demand better.”