Canada: Assassinated Journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia Is Awarded 2020 Allard Prize For International Integrity
Location: Canada, Vancouver
Date: October 22, 2020
The Coalition For Women In Journalism is delighted that Daphne Caruana Galizia has been co-awarded the 2020 Allard Prize for International Integrity in recognition of her leadership and commitment to protecting human rights and combating corruption.
Daphne Caruana Galizia was assassinated on October 16, 2017 in a car-bomb attack a few metres away from her house in Bidnija, Malta. The Coalition For Women In Journalism has been documenting the ever slow growing judiciary process concerning this dark day for freedom of expression.
Politico magazine named Galizia one of 28 Europeans who are “shaping, shaking and stirring” Europe. Recently, the EU Parliament agreed to create a new award in honor of murdered Maltese journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia.
The Daphne Caruana Galizia award which is worth €20,000 will be given as a way to distinguish outstanding journalism revolving around the principles and values of the European Union.
Daphne Caruana Galizia’s family described the announcement as 'both humbling and encouraging'.
"It not only recognises her work in exposing corruption and defending the public’s right to know, it also recognises that Daphne should be celebrated for everyone’s sake, because her example of courage, integrity and humour in the face of adversity are so badly needed today and will be for many years to come," the family said to the Malta Times. The family also said the financial part of the award ($50,000) will be dedicated to the objectives of the Daphne Caruana Galizia Foundation: ensuring full justice for Daphne and the guardianship of her work; protecting investigative journalists and ending impunity for the murder of journalists; supporting independent, non-partisan media; and supporting public interest litigation and access to justice.
Despite pressure from the International community, Daphne Caruana Galizia’s murder is still not met with justice. CFWIJ will not forget about the heinous attack that Daphne faced. The Maltese government should take responsibility and full note that it is a great disgrace that an EU member state is involved in the assasination of a journalist. We urge the Maltese government to bring justice and incarcerate all who are involved in this horrific assasination.
The CFWIJ strongly condemns the police brutality against journalists. We demand the immediate return of the press cards seized from the security forces. Policies to intimidate journalists should be abandoned, and journalism should be practiced under the criteria of freedom of the press.
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