International press leads with Daphne Caruana Galizia murder

Yesterday’s murder of investigative journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia has not only shocked the Maltese but people all over the world, with several international news sites also reporting the crime.

Daphne Caruana Galizia was killed yesterday, by a powerful car comb, which exploded at around 3pm, on Triq il-Bidnija, in Mosta.

Politicians, public figures and others expressed their shock, sorrow and concern for Malta’s future, with many appealing for a “unified resolve to promote true democracy”, with Prime Minister Joseph Muscat vowing that he will not rest until “justice is done” and Delia calling it “the direct consequence of the total collapse of rule of law in our country”.

This is a spiteful attack on a citizen and freedom of expression. I will not rest until justice is done. The country deserves justice -JM

— Joseph Muscat (@JosephMuscat_JM) October 16, 2017

Great shock and sadness at the brutal murder of Daphne Caruana Galizia. An appeal for a unified resolve to promote true democracy. RIP.

— Bishop CJ Scicluna (@BishopScicluna) October 16, 2017

A candlelit vigil, which attracted thousands of people, was held at 8:30pm in Sliema, to express solidarity with Caruana Galizia’s family, as seen on the British daily newspaper, the Guardian, which featured the murder as their top story up until the time this was written.

 

 

The story spread across the globe, with news reports appearing on the BBC, Al Jazeera, CNN, the Telegraph, the Washington Post, the New York Times and Vice, as well as many others, with most referring to Caruana Galizia as “Malta’s best known investigative journalist” and “a one-woman WikiLeaks”, as Politico named her one of the 28 Europeans “shaping, shaking and stirring” Europe.

Outraged to hear that Maltese investigative journalist+blogger Daphne Caruana Galizia has been murdered this afternoon not far from her home with a car bomb. I issue a €20k reward for information leading to the conviction of her killers. Her blog: https://t.co/XQCEXBKYn3 pic.twitter.com/ITHlBRzr0J

— Julian Assange 🔹 (@JulianAssange) October 16, 2017

German MEP Sven Giegold, a leading figure in the parliament’s Panama Papers inquiry, said he was “shocked and saddened”.

“It is too early to know the cause of the explosion but we expect to see a thorough investigation,” said Giegold. “Such incidents bring to mind Putin’s Russia, not the European Union. There can be absolutely no tolerance for violence against the press and violations of the freedom of expression in the European Union.”

Shocking! Maltese journalist, who revealed money laundering & corruption killed in attack. Is this Europe or Russia? https://t.co/Vcn2THKR3A pic.twitter.com/MO0iMJf14t

— Sven Giegold (@sven_giegold) October 16, 2017

 

The term “Daphne Caruana Galizia” was also trending worldwide on Twitter, with over 50,000 tweets containing her name as of 9am this morning, with Julian Assange, founder of WikiLeaks issuing a €20k reward for information leading to the "conviction of her killers". 

Featured on several front pages such as the Guardian and the Telegraph, many reported on her work, as well as her blog "Running Commentary", which, according to the Guardian was "largely focused on revelations from the Panama Papers".

GUARDIAN: May fails to move the dial over Brexit #tomorrowspaperstoday pic.twitter.com/mz9V5zVl9f

— Neil Henderson (@hendopolis) October 16, 2017

DAILY TELEGRAPH Tories denied majority by unfair system #tomorrowspaperstoday pic.twitter.com/qzer9Hqmdl

— Neil Henderson (@hendopolis) October 16, 2017

READ MORE: Who was Daphne Caruana Galizia?
A dark day for democracy: shocked reactions at the murder of Daphne Caruana Galizia​