The speakers at a monthly vigil for assassinated journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia on Wednesday also paid tribute to Ukrainian journalists currently at war, including those who were killed while “exposing atrocities”.

A Ukrainian former journalist, speaker Inna Honcharuk-Pilkhivska called for justice for Caruana Galizia as well as those journalists fighting for truth in Ukraine.

“We are here for a similar cause because we want justice for Daphne and other journalists who lost their lives to expose what atrocities are taking place in my country,” she said.

Honcharuk-Pilkhivska also explained what Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has meant for her own relatives and friends.

“You cannot imagine what it means to grab one bag and put in it just items you need to survive, like warm clothes, blanket, water and some food and leave behind you to be burned down your house, your memories, and all that you have worked hard for all your life because of one man’s greed.”

Occupy Justice activist Louiselle Vassallo also honoured journalists who are risking their lives to report on the war – some of whom have been killed while on the job, in the last weeks. “These are among the most heroic people of our time,” Vassallo said.

Vassallo went on to slam how the Labour Party has depicted journalists on its advertising in the electoral campaign – referring to blogger Manuel Delia.

Recalling the situation Malta was in during the last general election in 2017, Vassallo reiterated the need to keep fighting for justice for “the Maltese hero” Caruana Galizia and her stories.

Other speakers at the event included Repubblika members Alessandra dee Crespo, Miriam Pace Asciak and Matthew Grech.

Caruana Galizia was assassinated on 16 October 2017 by a car bomb outside her home in Bidnija.