Activists vow to continue fight for justice despite Daphne murder convictions

Activists at the monthly vigil for Daphne Caruana Galizia insisted their fight for justice is far from over despite a landmark court ruling last week, citing continued attacks on critical figures such as notary Robert Aquilina.

Monday’s vigil in Valletta marked Caruana Galizia's 2017 assassination and came just days after the four members of the Maksar criminal gang were sentenced to life in prison for the murders of the journalist and lawyer Carmel Chircop.

Addressing the gathering, Occupy Justice activist Martina Farrugia acknowledged the recent development as a step forward.

“Last week was a good week for justice,” she said, before posing a rhetorical question: “So what are we here for? Isn't justice being done?”

She continued: “Because though the wheels of justice are turning, they've not yet managed to scoop up everyone in their net.”

Farrugia stressed the movement was not trying to place Caruana Galizia on a pedestal: “We don't come here because we idolise Daphne, we haven't turned her into a religious figure as some might suggest".

Instead, she said, her death had left many of her investigations incomplete and key lessons unlearned.

“We come here because instead of lessons learned, we see the pattern of hatred repeated, the mockery and persecution of those who call out the wrongdoing.”

Robert Aquilina 'lynching'

Farrugia cited the recent case of NGO Repubblika co-founder Aquilina, who currently serves as Malta representative for the anti-mafia foundation Fondazione Falcone.

“We saw it with the public lynching of Dr Robert Aquilina just last week, following reports of a domestic incident in their home,” she said.

Last week, a court accepted Aquilina’s wife’s request to withdraw domestic violence charges, saying her comments to police had been “exploited and manipulated” in an effort to assassinate her husband’s character.

Aquilina resigned from his role in Repubblika after the allegations surfaced but has since resumed his role with Fondazione Falcone.

Farrugia said Aquilina’s critics had quickly labelled him a hypocrite.

“They couldn't miss the chance to scream 'hypocrite' at a man who has spent the last eight years calling for justice. Why? Because, incredibly, there's nothing this country likes more than to rip down people who fight for justice.”

She praised Aquilina’s decision to step down from Repubblika while firmly rejecting the accusations.

“He showed up every politician who remained glued to their seat of power by stepping down. He walked through the talk, dealing with his problem without dragging the cause he stood for into it.”

Farrugia concluded that the movement for justice is greater than any one person.

“It's about Daphne, and until we get justice for Daphne, for her family, for her stories and for this country, we'll continue to turn up, to replace posters when Neville Gafa's minions remove them at night, we'll turn up to water the plants, to give speeches to remember.”

'Fight for justice for Daphne must continue'

Repubblika’s current president, Professor Vicki Ann Cremona, also addressed the vigil and expressed her thanks to Aquilina, wishing him well. She shared that the NGO had offered Aquilina the honorary presidency following the withdrawal of the allegations, but he declined.

On Sunday, Aquilina turned down the offer, saying he believed doing so was in the best interest of the causes he and the NGO have championed.

Cremona noted, “The work of Repubblika is not easy,” but insisted that by following Caruana Galizia’s example, they would not give up.

Former Repubblika president Marion Pace Asciak also addressed the crowd, using the occasion to highlight the whistleblower law, which she said was not being used to its full potential.

She concluded her speech by welcoming the sentencing of the men involved in the murders.

“Our fight for justice in Daphne’s murder has begun to bear fruit, but it must continue with strength, insistence, and determination,” she said.