The British Foreign Office has condemned the murder of Daphne Caruana Galizia as an “attack on investigative journalism”, speaking of its concern to see justice.

“The UK condemns the murder of Daphne Caruana Galizia as an attack on investigative journalism. It is essential that all those responsible are brought to justice and that we work together to protect the fundamental value of freedom of expression,” said a FO spokesperson in comments to the Press Gazette following an interview with The Shift News co-founder and editor Caroline Muscat.

Muscat stated that Malta’s 12-place slide down the rankings in the last year was partly due to the Maltese government’s rejection of national and international calls for an independent public inquiry into Caruana Galizia’s assassination.

The FO said the case had been raised with the Maltese Government, including the Maltese Foreign Minister and the Maltese Interior Minister “on a number of occasions” by both UK ministers and the High Commissioner in Valletta. They added that there was a “concern to see justice in this case.”

As a guest on Al Jazeera’s popular news programme ‘Inside Story‘ Muscat explained how secret and closed online Facebook groups administered by government employees and having the Prime Minister, the President and members of parliament among their members, whipped up hate against first Caruana Galizia, and now other journalists and activists.

Muscat described a situation where cyber harassment, judicial harassment, and murder, created a “climate of fear” that made it increasingly difficult for journalists to conduct their work.