Activists’ requests for police protection being ignored, Repubblika claims

The NGO Repubblika has stated that requests for protection by lawyers, parliamentarians, journalists and activists are being ignored by Police.

"Repubblika knows that the police have received requests to ensure the safety of lawyers, parliamentarians, journalists and activists who are being threatened. Repubblika also knows that these requests are being ignored," the NGO said in a statement on Wednesday. 

Reppublika said this in the light of the independent inquiry into the murder of Daphne Caruana Galizia, which is tasked to discover whether her murder could have been prevented. The NGO said that even though the inquiry is yet to come to a conclusion, the government has failed to protect the late journalist.

"The government should have learned a lesson from what happened two years ago and undertaken to ensure that any similar outrage with respect to democracy will never occur again," Repubblika wrote.

It said that if parliamentarians and journalists are not being protected, then Malta's democracy was likewise at risk, as the treat constituted a menace to the truth.

"Repubblika reminds the Commissioner of Police and all security forces that their first duty, to which they have sworn, is towards the Republic of Malta and its constitution. This means that independently of any partisan or personal interests of whoever is in government, they are responsible to ensure that the law and everyone’s rights are protected," the NGO wrote.