Repubblika renews its full solidarity with its Honorary President Robert Aquilina and with lawyer Dr Jason Azzopardi who remain the target of a systematic campaign of hatred and threats orchestrated by Joseph Muscat.
In his sworn testimony yesterday, Joseph Muscat lied repeatedly. He accused everyone of conspiring against him: magistrates, investigators, court experts, prosecutors, state lawyers, journalists, activists, politicians, everyone. He is trying to prove his innocence by accusing everyone else of a crime he invented.
We condemn the vile way in which Joseph Muscat attacked Robert Aquilina.
This was shortly after Muscat’s spokesman Jason Micallef set the stage for him with a Facebook post accusing Robert Aquilina and Jason Azzopardi of being crazy, dangerous, and needing to be silenced.
This is an intimidation campaign that has been going on for years. It is systematic and personalized and reminds us of the campaign against Daphne Caruana Galizia. The campaign against Aquilina has real consequences. Several people close to the Labour Party have been brought to court and all of them, without exception, have been found guilty of inciting hatred and making physical threats of violence against Aquilina.
Yesterday, Muscat silenced the state attorney’s questions in court with a reprimand. He told him, “don’t forget that you are talking to a former prime minister”. Without a doubt, no one forgets that Joseph Muscat had the power of prime minister because it is that power that he is accused of abusing. He still expects to abuse that power, to enjoy impunity and to threaten and intimidate anyone who stands in his way.
We remind the state that it is its obligation to protect Aquilina, Azzopardi, and anyone who fulfills their duty to see that justice is the same for everyone, particularly for former prime ministers who abused the power we lent them.
Robert Aquilina will not be afraid to stand up to Joseph Muscat. Jason Azzopardi will not be afraid to stand up to him. Repubblika will not be afraid to stand up to him, until Joseph Muscat pays for his actions. Justice demands it.