Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1189466
5 maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 4 DECEMBER 2019 NEWS Slovakia in the aftermath of the murders of the Maltese blogger and journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia, and the Slovak journal- ist Ján Kuciak and his fiancée, the Civil Liberties Committee set up its Rule of Law Monitor- ing Group in June 2018. Having looked into concerns about the progress of the inves- tigations, as well as allegations of harassment, intimidation, corruption and fraud, the final report identified serious short- comings in the rule of law. In the 9th parliamentary term, the Democracy, Rule of Law and Fundamental Rights Monitoring Group will moni- tor and report on relevant is- sues across all member states until 31 December 2021. New- ly arising issues can be added to the DRFMG scope if Mem- bers representing a committee majority agree. Repubblika calls for Muscat to leave NGO Repubblika held a press conference outside of the Po- lice Headquarters in Floriana yesterday morning. The NGO once again called for the immediate resignation of Prime Minister Joseph Mus- cat. "Joseph Muscat must resign now. He should have resigned the moment the news emerged that the gang that plotted and executed the assassination of Daphne Caruana Galizia were close to him. Muscat is pro- tecting these people, includ- ing his Chief of Staff Keith Schembri and by doing so he is protecting himself," the NGO said. "Today, everyone needs to come together to make sure that Malta is not governed by criminals or those who are suspected of criminality. This is not a question of Labour or Nationalist, people who are protesting with us are from both parties," Activist and blogger Manuel Delia said. Delia said that Malta must move past its tribalistic ten- dencies for the sake of the na- tion. "Let us come together to right the wrongs of the past so that we can begin to move on." He reiterated that Labour had a mandate to govern and that it should continue to do so, how- ever, without criminal activity in its midst. Muscat meeting, investigation THE human rights NGO Aditus Foundation has called on the Maltese government not to unduly interfere with the right of peaceful as- sembly, in a bid to avert civil unrest. Aditus said the peaceful demonstrations, which have been taking place Tumas magnate Yorgen Fenech was arrested on suspicion of being the mastermind behind the Daphne Caruana Galizia assassination, were a nation- al call of justice and accountability. "Until the nation and its institutions embark on a path of truth and justice, the people will insist on exercising their fundamental rights of free ex- pression and free peaceful assembly." Aditus said that if unchecked, government behaviour risks crossing the line between permissible interventions to maintain public law and order, and actions amounting to hu- man rights violations. "We appreciate that in fulfilling its duty to protect all persons in Malta, the government is empowered to take actions it deems nec- essary. We also fully acknowledge the chal- lenges presented to the government by large demonstrations of the kind that have been occurring on an almost daily basis outside key institutions: the Prime Minister's office, Parliament House and the Law Courts. "Yet we feel it is necessary to remind the government that demonstrations and public expressions of opinions, aligned or opposed to government's own views, are an integral part of functioning and strong democracies." Aditus said that any action to curtail, lim- it or deprive anyone from exercising their fundamental human rights must occur only within very strict limits imposed by law. "That the rights to freedom of expression and freedom of peaceful assembly are solidly enshrined in Malta's Constitution. That they are also present in internal human rights in- struments creating binding legal obligations on Malta, such as the European Convention on Human rights, the European Unions' Fun- damental Right Charter and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights." Aditus expressed solidarity with members of media organisations locked in the Prime Min- ister's Office by unidentified men after last Thursday's Cabinet meeting, and denounced the verbal and physical attacks on journalists by government employees. "We flag, as an act of direct provocation, the relentless shrinking of public demonstration space in Freedom Square where Parliament House is located. We unequivocally condemn as false and inflammatory public statements by Government officials that demonstrators are intent on causing bloodshed. We stress that statements made by Government offi- cials, describing civil society organisations as political party tools, are unfounded and made with an intent to stir up hatred and further unrest." Describing protests as political party tools can stir up further unrest, NGO warns NGO Repubblika held a press conference outside the police headquarters