Why Daphne still matters
Daphne Caruana Galizia's trailblazing work as an investigative journalist uncovered brazen and unfettered corruption at the highest levels of government in Malta, and she fought against it with little support. Daphne has been recognised all around the world for her fearless reporting and the holding of the powerful to account. She received numerous posthumous awards and honours from all around the world. A roll call of these numerous awards and honours can be found on the Daphne Caruana Galizia Foundation portal. The list is impressive.
Why does Daphne matter so much, all these years on after her assassination?
These are some of the reasons why Daphne still matters so much:
Daphne's heinous assassination serves as a brutal reminder of the risks that investigative journalists who report without fear or favour face. They risk life and limb, and are continually threatened by financial ruin by the rich and powerful who do not want their wrongdoings exposed.
She set the standards for journalistic integrity, and epitomised the role of investigative journalism in holding the powerful to account. Daphne reported without fear or favour, at great personal risk. She stood against a Mafia state in an environment of total impunity. To many, she became a living target, and her life was continually endangered.
She inspired civil society to find its voice. After her assassination, civil society NGOs that champion Rule of Law and justice sprung up, such as Repubblika and Occupy Justice. This voice was powerful enough to boot a Prime Minister on whose watch Malta became a haven for the corrupt and the criminal out of office.
The "legal" harassments she endured during her lifetime threw a spotlight on the abuse by the rich and powerful of legal instruments that threaten journalists and media houses with financial ruin. This weaponising of legal instruments lead to the European parliament passing a law dubbed Daphne's Law that protects journalists from vexatious law suits.
Justice for Daphne has not been served.
The mastermind behind Daphne's assassination has not been convicted yet, despite his admitting his guilt by asking a presidential pardon (only the guilty need a presidential pardon).
The people who created the environment in which her assassination was made possible, and those who aided and abetted her murderer still roam free.
And the stories she wrote exposing criminality and corruption are carefully ignored by the police.
Daphne is no longer with us, but she remains an inspiration to many, has set the bar for journalistic standards, and by her writings and by giving a voice to others, she has left a legacy that will haunt the criminal and corrupt forever.