Men charged with murder of Malta journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia.
Investigative reporter Daphne Caruana Galizia, who exposed crime in Malta through her blog, died in a car bomb blast in October.
Wednesday 6 December 2017 02:59, UK
Three man have been charged with the murder of Maltese journalist and campaigner Daphne Caruana Galizia.
Ms Caruana Galizia died in a car bomb blast on the Mediterranean island on 16 October. Details from the investigation revealed that she was killed by a remote-controlled explosion of TNT.
She was a leading investigative reporter and had a widely read blog which she used to expose crime on Malta, focusing on corruption, drug-trafficking and scandals involving the country's elite.
Three suspects have now been charged with her murder.
Vincent Muscat, 55, George Degiorgio, 54, and Alfred Degiorgio, 52, all deny the charge.
The men were also charged with manufacturing the bomb which killed the journalist and with taking part in organised crime, as well as possessing explosives.
Seven other men have been released on bail while further investigations are carried out.
The victim's husband, Peter Caruana Galizia, was among those who attended the hearing in Malta's capital Valletta.
Ms Caruana Galizia's death has raised concern within the European Union about the rule of law in Malta, and many saw it as an attack on independent media.
A group of EU lawmakers said there was a "perception of impunity" on the island.
The head of the parliament's delegation, socialist lawmaker Ana Gomes, said the murder "was aimed at instilling fear in everyone, especially those involved in investigating and prosecuting cases of money laundering and corruption".