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WORLD NEWS Monday 13 January 2020

Malta's next premier vows

'continuity' amid car bomb fallout

By STEPHEN CALLEJA
Associated Press
VALLETTA, Malta (AP) — A
first-term lawmaker whose
father was Malta's presi-
dent was chosen to be
the country's prime minis-
ter, replacing Joseph Mus-
cat after weeks of protests
In this Thursday, Nov. 1, 2018 file photo, Kenneth Roth, Human demanding accountabil-
Rights Watch's executive director, speaks during a news ity in the investigation of
conference in Seoul, South Korea.
Associated Press the car bomb slaying of
an anti-corruption journal-
Hong Kong denies ist who targeted his gov-
ernment.
entry to Human In his victory speech Sun- Robert Abela, who will be sworn in as Prime Minister of Malta
day night, Robert Abela
Rights Watch director didn't assess Muscat's be- Monday, addresses a large crowds of supporters inside a
volleyball court in Kordin, Malta, Sunday, Jan. 12, 2020.
leaguered final stretch in
Associated Press
office. Abela also didn't
HONG KONG (AP) — Hong Kong authorities barred the cite the 2017 assassination cat's resignation in frus- sure of satisfaction.
head of Human Rights Watch from entering the Chinese of Daphne Caruana Galiz- tration over the handling Stepping down midway
territory Sunday, the advocacy group said. ia, a shocking killing which of the investigation, the though his second term
Kenneth Roth, Human Rights Watch's executive director, deeply wounded much of change in leadership as premier, Muscat ear-
had planned to launch the organization's annual world Malta's psyche. might not bring much poli- lier tweeted his congratu-
report in Hong Kong this week. The report's focus is China's Criticism had poured in cy change. lations, saying, "Proud to
efforts to "deliberately undermine the international hu- from abroad about inad- Abela, a 42-year-old spe- be handing over to him
man rights system," Roth said in video posted to his Twitter. equacies in the European cialist in labor and indus- #Malta PM office on Mon-
The move to bar Roth follows China's pledge last month to Union country's judicial trial law, did pledge be- day," when Abela will be
sanction organizations that it said "performed badly" in re- and police systems, and fore the party vote to help sworn in. Abela has said
lation to anti-government protests that have roiled Hong domestic critics expressed repair Malta's reputation. he would work to restore
Kong for more than seven months. Human Rights Watch, outrage that members of But he is also widely con- Malta's reputation for rule
the National Endowment for Democracy and Freedom Muscat's inner circle had sidered a Muscat protege. of law. Concerned EU law-
House were among the groups cited for sanctions. been linked to the still on- The Labour Party, which makers, after a fact-find-
Roth, a U.S. citizen, said on Twitter that immigration au- going investigation to find commands a comfort- ing mission to the island,
thorities at the airport told him he could not enter Hong out who ordered the as- able parliamentary major- had criticized the mem-
Kong. When he asked why, they told him repeatedly that sassination. ity, appeared to choose a ber nation's judiciary and
it was for "immigration reasons," without elaborating. Still, Abela alluded to the leader who would follow police.
Roth said he has visited Hong Kong numerous times and national trauma triggered much in Muscat's path. Late last year, a close aide
this is the first time he has been denied entry. by the slaying in the island A re-occurring word in to Muscat was questioned
Mass demonstrations — underpinned by a distrust of nation, saying that now Abela's victory speech, in connection with Carua-
China's ruling Communist Party — began in Hong Kong "the ship has been stead- delivered after embracing na Galizia's killing, denied
in June, with protesters rallying against an extradition bill ied." The count on Sunday and shaking hands with wrongdoing and was re-
that was later withdrawn. The movement has since ex- showed Abela received some of the hundreds of leased while still under in-
panded to include demands for electoral reform and an nearly 58% of votes cast supporters packed into a vestigation. A Maltese ho-
independent inquiry into alleged police brutality. Saturday by members of sports arena, was "conti- telier, who denies involve-
A former British colony, Hong Kong was returned to China the governing Labour Par- nuity." ment, has been accused
in 1997. Under the framework of "one country, two sys- ty eligible to choose the Still, for opposition politi- of complicity in the killing.
tems," the territory was promised greater democratic new leader. cians, seeing Muscat re- Three other men, accused
rights than are afforded to the mainland. But protesters But although many Mal- sign because of public of triggering the bomb,
say their liberties have been steadily eroding under Chi- tese had pushed for Mus- outrage gave some mea- are under arrest. q
nese President Xi Jinping.q