Daphne Caruana Galizia

Daphne Caruana Galizia was a Maltese investigative journalist renowned for her fearless reporting on corruption and organised crime in Malta. She began her career in journalism in the 1980s, working for several local newspapers before becoming a freelance journalist and blogger in the 2000s.

Caruana Galizia gained international recognition for her coverage of the Panama Papers, which exposed how wealthy individuals and public officials used offshore tax havens to conceal their assets. She also reported on a number of high-profile corruption scandals in Malta, including the sale of Maltese passports to wealthy foreigners and alleged links between Maltese politicians and organised crime. Her reporting was frequently critical of the Maltese government and its leaders, earning her harassment and intimidation in return. In October 2017, she was killed in a car bomb explosion near her home — a murder that provoked widespread outrage and calls for justice.

Her legacy as a courageous and dedicated investigative journalist continues to inspire people in Malta and around the world to defend press freedom and accountability.

“Everywhere you look now, there are crooks,” Daphne wrote in her final post on her blog Running Commentary on 16 October 2017 at 2.35pm. “The situation is desperate.” Those words became her last testament: just minutes later, the Peugeot 108 she was driving exploded. Daphne was murdered after thirty years of investigative work exposing the dark underbelly of Malta — from political corruption, drug trafficking and money laundering to the influence of Azerbaijan in Maltese politics and the sale of Maltese passports, which account for about 2.5 per cent of the country’s economy.

“When a journalist is murdered, the whole of society suffers,” wrote author Margaret Atwood on the first anniversary of Daphne’s killing. “We lose our right to know, to speak, and to learn.” UNESCO published full-page adverts urging journalists to keep telling the truth. The headline read: “The killing of a journalist is always bad news. Even for those behind it.”

Throughout her career, Daphne faced constant threats and intimidation because of her reporting. Her home was set on fire twice, and three of her family dogs were killed — one had its throat slit and was left on her doorstep, another was poisoned, and a third was shot. Libel suits and asset freezes, often initiated by members of parliament from both the government and the opposition, were used as tools of harassment. Yet Daphne refused to back down, dedicating her life to her work.

She never sought recognition, never applied for awards, nor asked to be nominated. After her death, however, she received numerous posthumous honours. Accepting the Honorary Title at Difference Day 2018, Daphne’s son Andrew said that “a life lived for others is worth a thousand lived for oneself.” He added: “A life sacrificed in the pursuit of truth is the greatest gift anyone can give the world. Let us accept the gift my mother gave us.”

On the third anniversary of her death, the European Parliament launched the Daphne Caruana Galizia Prize for Journalism. Heidi Hautala, Vice-President of the Parliament, said the award recognises the essential role journalists play in safeguarding our democracies and reminds citizens of the importance of a free press. The press room in the European Parliament in Strasbourg has been dedicated to Daphne’s memory.

On 5 June 2025, the two suppliers of the bomb were found guilty. Three hired assassins had already been convicted. The middleman turned state witness in 2019, while a third suspect is still awaiting trial. No politicians have been charged or convicted — but the investigation continues.

Daphne’s sister, Corinne Vella, closely follows the proceedings. She remains uncertain whether her sister’s death has truly changed Malta. Corruption, she says, has not declined. According to her, the government has failed to act on the recommendations of the public inquiry into journalism, the rule of law, corruption, and organised crime. “It’s very sad to say, but what Daphne’s death did achieve was that the public inquiry established that, thanks to the outrage over her murder, Malta did not become a mafia state.”

She cites one positive development: the prosecution of former Prime Minister Joseph Muscat and other ministers over corruption linked to a hospital project. But, Corinne says, Malta still has a distorted view of freedom of expression: “People misuse the term all the time. Some claim there are things you shouldn’t be allowed to say, and they justify censorship under the guise of free speech.” She sees little sign of a broader effort to change that culture, though there is a proposal to enshrine press freedom in the constitution as a pillar of democracy.

The Daphne Caruana Galizia Foundation has since received international recognition — notably the honorary title awarded on Difference Day in 2018, which Corinne regards as particularly meaningful. At the time, she said, Malta had yet to grasp the scale of the problem it was facing. Such recognition kept global attention focused on the country.

“Daphne was someone who never gave up. She was incredibly determined. If only she could see how much she’s achieved.”

Sources: VUB Today, Daphne Caruana Galizia Foundation, Acceptance speech zoon van Daphne, Andrew Caruana Galizia, VUB interview met Daphne’s zus Corinne Vella.