News organisation slams Labour media over weaponisation of its article against Times journalist
French news organisation says its investigation into OCCRP should not be used by political parties to serve their own agenda
Mediapart have condemned Labour Party media outlets for using their investigation into OCCRP to attack a Times of Malta journalist.
“Mediapart strongly condemns the manipulation of its recently-published investigative article about the OCCRP by the television channel controlled by the Labour Party in Malta, in order to attack individual journalists,” Mediapart President and Publishing Editor Carine Fouteau said in a statement.
Fouteau was reacting after Labour media used her news outlet’s investigation into OCCRP to discredit investigative journalist Jacob Borg. In their news segment aired over the weekend, ONE News depicted Borg who works with OCCRP in a number of his investigations, with controversial lawyer Jason Azzopardi, in an attempt to cast doubt over his work.
The Mediapart investigation unveiled the depth of OCCRP’s financial reliance on Washington.
The OCCRP has spearheaded major exposés, including the Panama Papers and Pegasus Project, unearthing corruption and financial misconduct, prompting significant global impacts, such as the recovery of billions in lost state revenues and the downfall of multiple government leaders.
Despite its success in carrying out such investigations, the OCCRP has come under fire over its financial ties to the United States.
According to the Mediapart investigation, approximately 52% of OCCRP’s funding between 2014 and 2023 came from US agencies, including the Department of State and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). The US reportedly retains veto power over key staff appointments, such as the organisation’s CEO and editor-in-chief, raising questions over editorial independence.
Standing by their report, Mediapart said it condemns any malicious and dishonest weaponization of its article about the OCCRP by any political party, government or media in order to serve their own political agenda and attack press freedom.
In a joint statement, Times of Malta Editor-in-Chief Herman Grech and Daphne Caruana Galizia Foundation director Matthew Caruana Galizia said their biggest concern was having Borg targeted by Labour media.
“This goes beyond casting doubt on Times of Malta reporting or the sources of funds used to finance its work - work which often exposes government wrongdoing,” the joint statement read. “Far more worryingly, it makes Jacob Borg a target. In a country still reeling from the assassination of Daphne Caruana Galizia - who faced similar smear campaigns from ONE - this is particularly troubling. The implications of such actions cannot be overstated, especially in a climate of hostility towards journalists in Malta.”
Related
Share this page
Guest Posts by Easy Branches
