Protest messages, candles and flowers removed yet again

The messages, candles and flowers laid at the foot of the Great Siege monument in Valletta on Sunday to mark 14 months since the assassination of Daphne Caruana Galizia were yet again removed only hours after citizens gathered to call for justice for the journalist.

The protest memorial has been wiped out more than 200 times, leading activists yesterday to note that Prime Minister Joseph Muscat has surpassed “Putin’s record”. Occupy Justice condemned the act as a “continuation of this government’s trampling of our human rights”.

“Last night we came together in protest at the corruption, criminality and impunity of this government, to remember a journalist assassinated in our own country. We continue to take a stand against all these things by the simple act of placing candles and flowers,” the group said, adding that this will not stop them resisting the government’s attempt to sweep away the memory of Caruana Galizia.

A report by the Venice Commission, an advisory body of the Council of Europe composed of independent experts in the field of constitutional law, due to be published today is expected to highlight the fact that civil society’s right to criticise the government and to hold it accountable is protected by law.

Referring to Caruana Galizia’s assassination, the Commission is expected to note that it must be established whether the authorities knew or ought to have known that a real and immediate threat existed, and whether they failed to take the necessary measures.