On the 16th October 2022, Scottish PEN held a Vigil outside the Scotiish Parliament, Holyrood, Edinburgh. This marked the fifth anniversary of the brutal assassination of Daphne Caruana Galizia in Malta.
The speakers were Ricky Monahan Brown (President of Scottish PEN), Nick McGowan-Lowe (NUJ Scotland), Richard Leonard (MSP), Joyce McMillan (NUJ Scotland), and Nik Williams (Index on Censorship). Messages of suport also came from James Dornan (MSP), Ross Greer (MSP) and Pauline McNeill (MSP). An additional message of support came from Roberta Metsola, President of the European Parliament, who has been at the forefront of the fight for justice since Daphne’s horrific murder on 16th October 2017.
The event saw Scottish PEN renew its demands for justice for Daphne Caruana Galizia on a day when voices across Europe called for Daphne’s killers to be caught and held to account.
The following link provides the text of a speech which I gave at the start of the Vigil with a strong and clear message to fellow activists in Malta and internationally:
”We are here, right beside you and with you, standing shoulder to shoulder and hand in hand. We are not going anywhere. We are here and we will always be here until we’ve achieved what we’re fighting for – full justice for Daphne Caruana Galizia.”
Lorca by Candlelight 