Press statements of the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media

VALLETTA, 16 October 2019 – The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Harlem Désir, participated today in ceremonies commemorating the two-year anniversary of the brutal assassination of leading investigative journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia, during a visit to Malta. He met with the family of the journalist at the memorial, near the city of Bidnija, where she was killed.

GENEVA/STRASBOURG/VIENNA, 16 October 2019- "Government of Malta remains far behind in its obligation to ensure that investigations in the murder of Daphne Caruana Galizia are conducted in a prompt, effective, independent and impartial manner,” said today in a joint statement Harlem Désir, OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Dunja Mijatović, Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, David Kaye, UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Freedom of Opinion and Expression, and Agnes Callamard, UN Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions.

VIENNA, 21 September 2019 – The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Harlem Désir, took note today of an important step taken by the Maltese authorities in launching a public inquiry into the death of investigative journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia, stating that the inquiry must be fully independent in order to bring long overdue justice for her family, colleagues and the whole of Maltese society...

VIENNA, 15 October 2018 – On the eve of the first anniversary of the horrific murder of Maltese journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia, the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Harlem Désir recalled the need to better ensure the safety of every journalist in the OSCE region, and called on the Maltese authorities to ensure that all those involved in this killing face justice...

VIENNA, 15 May 2018 – Welcoming the entering into force of Malta’s new Media and Defamation Act, the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media (RFOM), Harlem Désir, called on the authorities to engage in further legal and policy reforms on civil defamation legislation...

VIENNA, 6 December 2017 – The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Harlem Désir today welcomed that, following a series of arrests earlier this week, three people have now been charged with murder in the case of the car explosion that killed the investigative journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia in Malta on 16 October 2017.

VIENNA, 27 November 2017 – On the occasion of today’s parliamentary debate on the Media and Defamation Bill in Malta, OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Harlem Désir urged the Maltese authorities to improve the Bill and bring it in line with relevant international standards.

VALLETTA, 3 November 2017- OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Harlem Désir, in Malta today to attend the funeral of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia, urged the country’s authorities to ensure that all means will be put in place to enable a full, transparent and independent investigation into the killing of the prominent investigative journalist...

VIENNA, 2 November 2017 – On the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes Committed against Journalists, the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Harlem Désir made the following statement...

VIENNA, 16 October 2017 – Harlem Désir, OSCE media freedom representative, expressed immense shock over the death of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia, and urged the Maltese authorities to carry out swift, transparent investigations into the case...