Nearly eight years after the assassination of Daphne Caruana Galizia, justice remains incomplete. Although some individuals have been convicted in relation to the assassination, the alleged mastermind’s trial is still pending, and the systemic reforms called for by the 2021 independent public inquiry remain largely unimplemented.
That inquiry, mandated under Article 2 of the European Convention on Human Rights (ETS No. 5) and initiated following the adoption of Parliamentary Assembly Resolution 2293 (2019), concluded that the Maltese State bore responsibility for creating a climate of impunity which enabled the assassination. It issued comprehensive recommendations on the protection of journalists, judicial independence, rule of law, and anti-corruption.
Earlier evaluations by Council of Europe bodies – including the European Commission for Democracy through Law (Venice Commission), the Group of States against Corruption (GRECO), and the Committee of Experts on the Evaluation of Anti-Money Laundering Measures and the Financing of Terrorism (MONEYVAL) – as well as the European Parliament, have echoed similar concerns. Yet, reforms remain partial, opaque, or stalled. Malta’s justice system continues to suffer from delays, especially in murder cases, with over half pending for more than five years.
The Assembly should examine the implementation of the public inquiry’s recommendations and Malta’s compliance with Council of Europe standards on rule of law and press freedom. It should consider how the Assembly can support efforts to ensure timely, independent justice, including by examining the causes of judicial delays and revisiting the State’s accountability for its failure to act.