Malta’s Prime Minister, Robert Abela, has dismissed calls to remove Alex Dalli from his role as Malta’s special envoy to Libya, despite a scathing report accusing him of overseeing severe human rights abuses.
Dalli, the former director of Malta’s correctional system, was suspended from his post following the suspicious death of an Indian inmate in 2021.
A subsequent investigation exposed widespread racism, intimidation, and degrading treatment of prisoners under his watch. One particularly shocking case detailed how non-Maltese detainees were forced to kneel and threatened by police dogs.
Witnesses also reported that migrants arriving at detention centers were stripped and sprayed with hoses.
Yet, Abela remains unwavering in his support. “Let me be clear—Alex Dalli will not be removed. He inherited a prison in complete chaos and reformed it,” the Prime Minister stated. He went further, attacking the country’s Ombudsman, whose report detailed systemic mistreatment in Maltese detention facilities, accusing him of offering “criticism from the comfort of an office.”
Despite these findings, Dalli has been entrusted with managing Malta’s migration strategy in Libya—a role that grants him significant influence over policies affecting thousands of migrants attempting to cross the Mediterranean. His official salary stands at €103,000 per year, but the specifics of his work in Libya remain largely undisclosed.
The Maltese government has openly prioritized curbing migration over addressing human rights concerns.
Abela pointed to a sharp decline in migrant arrivals, attributing it to “the work of Dalli and others.” Similarly, Malta’s Minister of Home Affairs, Byron Camilleri, praised Dalli’s contributions, insisting that his efforts were crucial in managing migration flows.
Meanwhile, reports of migrant mistreatment continue to emerge from Libya. On Thursday, an NGO monitoring migrant rescues at sea reported that the Libyan coast guard intercepted 43 migrants near Malta’s southern waters, returning them to detention in Zuwara—a move that rights groups condemned as a violation of international law and the principle of non-refoulement.
Another case involved 84 migrants stranded in Malta’s search-and-rescue zone. Despite being alerted, Maltese authorities reportedly took no action, leaving those onboard in imminent danger.
