A demonstration against a widespread disinformation campaign targeting journalists and activists will be held outside the Office of the Prime Minister on Tuesday evening.
Blogger Manuel Delia, NGO Repubblika, and on Monday Oppositon leader Bernard Grech and MP Jason Azzopardi have all been targeted using fake email chains and spoofed websites.
The fraudulent websites, which mimic news sites Newsbook, Net News, LovinMalta and TVM, all appear to be sowing doubt in the prosecution against Daphne Caruana Galizia murder suspect Yorgen Fenech and attacking the credibility of some of his most vocal critics.
In a joint statement, Repubblika, #occupyjustice and Manuel Delia announced they were organising a demonstration that will be held outside the Auberge de Castille on Tuesday at 6.30pm.
“The organisers of call on Maltese and Gozitans of good will to attend this demonstration and defend our democracy,” the statement reads.
The statement adds that Prime Minister Robert Abela’s silence on the matter is “unacceptable”.
The president of civil society group Repubblika Robert Aquilina and Manuel Delia have both been promised police protection after Aquilina said he had been warned by a Labour politician concerned for his safety to “be careful”.
In an opinion piece, Delia also expressed concerns for his safety, saying he will soon be unable afford the time, the cost or the energy it takes to calm his family’s frayed nerves about whether this electronic violence could turn physical at some point.
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