Call for National Media Freedom Plan in Memory of Daphne Caruana Galizia

October 15, 2025 – Malta – 

On the eve of the anniversary of investigative journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia’s death, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) and a coalition of 17 international media-freedom groups issued a call to action urging Malta to adopt a National Action Plan on Media Freedom and Journalist Safety. In their joint statement, they reaffirm that all those responsible for her assassination must be held to account, and demand that legal proceedings related to her case move forward transparently and without obstruction.

Also on 15 October 2025, the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) joined forces with several press freedom and journalists’ organizations to echo this demand. They welcomed the Maltese government’s recent decision to open public consultations on media reform, while warning that such consultations must culminate in measurable, binding policies rather than remain symbolic. The groups reiterated past appeals for justice and commitment to monitoring ongoing legal cases tied to Caruana Galizia’s murder.

The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) likewise added its voice to the demand, aligning with national and international partners. The EFJ highlighted that a formal National Action Plan would be a meaningful way to honor Caruana Galizia’s legacy—and strengthen structural protections for journalists across Malta and Europe.

Together, these statements argue that the momentum from both public pressure and institutional attention should translate into concrete reforms—notably, mechanisms ensuring journalist safety, free expression, independent oversight, and timely investigations into crimes against the press. The call underscores that Caruana Galizia’s assassination in October 2017 was not just an isolated act of violence, but a watershed moment exposing vulnerabilities in Malta’s media environment and the broader European landscape.

Reference – 

Malta: EFJ joins call for National Action Plan in memory of murdered journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia

https://www.ifj.org/media-centre/news/detail/category/europe/article/malta-press-freedom-and-journalists-groups-call-for-national-action-plan-in-memory-of-daphne-caruana

Call to action in memory of murdered Maltese journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia