Paul Caruana Galizia named New Journalist of the Year – British Journalism Awards

Paul Caruana Galizia has won the New Journalist of the Year award at the British Journalism Awards organised by the Press Gazette.

Caruana Galizia is an economic historian and political scientist. He turned to journalism after the assassination of his mother, Malta’s most prominent investigative journalist, Daphne Caruana Galizia. He was named Journalist of the Year for his work at British news portal Tortoise about the death of his mother and Britain’s opioid crisis, the Press Gazette said.

Andrew Caruana Galizia reacted to the announcement on social media, saying: “My brother, Paul Caruana Galizia, was a talented economic historian before our mother’s death. Now he’s an award-winning journalist, just like she was.”

My brother @pcaruanagalizia was a talented economic historian before our mother’s death. Now he’s an award-winning journalist, just like she was.

His writing is something to behold. Read it @tortoise https://t.co/GfACk6MBGM

— Andrew Caruana Galizia (@acaruanagalizia) December 11, 2019

Tortoise news team spoke to The Shift when Paul was shortlisted for the award: “It will be no surprise to admirers of the late, great Daphne Caruana Galizia that her youngest son should turn out to be a fearless, dogged, brilliant investigative reporter and his range of talents has made him a worthy recipient of this important industry recognition.”

Daphne Caruana Galizia was brutally assassinated in a car bomb a few metres away from her home in Malta on 16 October 2017. Earlier that year, she had been named by Politico as one of “28 people who are shaping, shaking and stirring Europe.” She received an endless list of posthumous awards internationally, in recognition of her legacy.

Another of her sons, Matthew Caruana Galizia, is a Pulitzer Prize winner for his work with the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) on the Panama Papers.

The recognition of Paul’s investigative journalism comes at a time when the Caruana Galizia family has faced shocking revelations on the alleged involvement of Malta’s top ranks in the journalist’s assassination and as the country is in turmoil with almost daily protests in the capital demanding justice and Joseph Muscat’s resignation.

The public inquiry into her assassination, demanded by the family for more than two years, has finally started with members of the family testifying on the events that preceded the assassination and the lack of protection offered to the journalist in a context where the Party in government was the main driver of the hate and abuse Caruana Galizia faced.