The European Court of Human Rights dismissed a complaint from Yorgen Fenech, who is awaiting trial for killing Daphne Caruana Galizia. Yorgen Fenech complained his fundamental rights were breached when he was kept in pre-trial detention during the covid pandemic. Yorgen Fenech claimed he was especially vulnerable for having one kidney and should have been allowed out of prison while the pandemic was underway.

Yorgen Fenech resorted to the Strasbourg court after losing an appeal in Malta’s constitutional court. The case was decided today by 7 judges of the European Court including Maltese judge Lorraine Schembri Orland. The European Court of Human Rights found none of Yorgen Fenech’s rights have been violated.

Expectation of today’s decision was raised by sponsored social media posts over the last several days anticipating the ruling. The online adverts did not say who was paying for them.