Daphne Caruana Galizia

Daphne Anne Caruana Galizia (26 August 1964 – 16 October 2017) was a Maltese writer, journalist, blogger and anti-corruption activist, who reported on political events in Malta and was known internationally for her investigation of the Panama Papers, and subsequent assassination by car bomb.

In particular, she focused on investigative journalism, reporting on government corruption, nepotism, patronage, and allegations of money laundering, links between Malta's online gambling industry and organized crime, Malta's citizenship-by-investment scheme, and payments from the government of Azerbaijan.

Caruana Galizia's national and international reputation was built on her regular reporting of misconduct by Maltese politicians and politically exposed persons.

Caruana Galizia continued to publish articles for decades, despite intimidation and threats, libel suits and other lawsuits.

She was arrested by the Malta Police Force on two occasions.

Daphne Anne Vella was born on 26 August 1964 in Tower Road, Sliema.

She was the eldest of four sisters born to the businessman Michael Alfred Vella and his wife Rose Marie Vella (née Mamo).

She was educated at St Dorothy's Convent (Mdina) and St Aloysius' College, Birkirkara.

In 1985, she married the lawyer Peter Caruana Galizia, a grandson of John Caruana and a great-grandson of E.L. Galizia and A.A. Caruana.

The couple had three sons, Matthew, Andrew and Paul.

Matthew was a member of the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists.

Caruana Galizia was employed by The Sunday Times of Malta as a news reporter in 1987, becoming a regular columnist from 1990 to 1992 and again from 1993 to 1996.

The family left Sliema in 1990, moving to Bidnija, a hamlet in the limits of Mosta.

She was an associate editor of The Malta Independent in 1992, and remained a columnist with that newspaper and The Malta Independent on Sunday for the rest of her career.

Additionally, she worked in media and public relations consultancies.

Caruana Galizia was also the founding editor of Taste and Flair, monthly lifestyle magazines which were distributed along with The Malta Independent on Sunday.

The front door of her house was set on fire in 1996.

The family dog had its throat slit and was laid across her doorstep.

Years later, the neighbour's car was burned, possibly in a misdirected attack.

She attended the University of Malta as a mature student and took a BA (Hons) in Archaeology with a minor in Anthropology in 1997, featuring on the Dean's List in 1996.

Caruana Galizia was exposed to politics in her late teens, having been arrested when she was 18 years old following participation in anti-government protests.

The policeman who arrested her, Angelo Farrugia, went on to become the Speaker of the Maltese parliament.

There was a further incident in 2006, when the house was set on fire while the family was asleep inside.

After Caruana Galizia started blogging, her terrier Zulu was poisoned and her collie Rufus was put down after being found shot.

According to Matthew Caruana Galizia, threats were almost a daily occurrence.

These took the form of phone calls, letters, notes pinned to the front door, text messages, emails, and comments on her blog.

Caruana Galizia's investigations were published via her personal blog Running Commentary, which she set up in 2008.

She was a regular columnist with The Sunday Times of Malta and later The Malta Independent.

Her blog consisted of investigative reporting and commentary, some of which was regarded as personal attacks on individuals, leading to a series of legal battles.

In March 2008, she began a blog entitled Running Commentary, which included investigative reporting and commentary on current affairs and public figures.

The blog was one of the most popular websites in Malta, regularly attracting over 400,000 views – more than the combined circulation of the country's newspapers.

Caruana Galizia was intimidated for her work and opinions.

The publications were merged into a single magazine called Taste&Flair in July 2014, and Caruana Galizia remained the editor until her death.

Taste&Flair is now published by The Daphne Caruana Galizia Foundation.

In 2016 and 2017, she revealed controversially sensitive information and allegations relating to a number of Maltese politicians and the Panama Papers scandal.

On 16 October 2017, Caruana Galizia died close to her home when a car bomb was detonated inside her vehicle, attracting widespread local and international condemnation of the attack.

In December 2017, three men were arrested in connection with the car bomb attack.

In April 2018, an international consortium of 45 journalists published The Daphne Project, a collaboration to complete her investigative work.

The GUE/NGL Award for Journalists, Whistleblowers & Defenders of the Right to Information was established in 2018 in honour of Galizia.

Police arrested Yorgen Fenech, the owner of the Dubai-based company 17 Black, on his yacht on 20 November 2019 in connection with her murder.