GWU condemns threats against Torċa editor Victor Vella

The General Workers' Union has condemned threats made against journalist Victor Vella who is editor of the union's Sunday newspaper Torċa.

While expressing solidarity, the union said threats fueled by disagreement with a journalist’s opinion are not accepatble in a democratic society.

The threats against Victor Vella and his family, including his minor children, concerned his reporting of migration issues from a humane perspective. Vella filed a police report.

“GWU is giving its full support to Victor Vella and his family while showing solidarity with all journalists, who in one way or another are threatened while performing their duty,” the union said on Thursday.

Union Print CEO Omar Vella said the company condemned any form of restriction on journalistic reporting. “No journalist should be hindered in his work by these forms of threats,” Vella said.

The GWU's statement follows a similar condemnation issued on Wednesday by the Institute of Maltese Journalists. 

“The IGM condemns without any reservation this behaviour from people, who believe that because they are hiding behind their computer at home can say whatever they want,” the IĠM said, while expressing solidarity with Vella.