In May, following statements by Prime Minister Robert Abela indicating that Malta would place the reform of human rights conventions related to migration on the agenda of its upcoming Council of Europe presidency, a coalition of 16 NGOs held a press conference outside the Safi detention centre. The organisations, including Moviment Graffitti, aditus foundation, the Malta LGBTIQ Rights Movement (MGRM) and Jesuit Refugee Service Malta, criticised the detention of vulnerable migrants, including women, children, LGBTI people, and persons with serious health conditions. They raised concerns about longstanding detention practices and conditions at Safi, recalling a 2021 Council of Europe Committee for the Prevention of Torture report that described prolonged confinement in overcrowded units with limited access to the outdoors.

In May, the hosts of the comedy podcast Bajd u Bejken publicly addressed criticism over a transphobic joke made during a live performance earlier in the month. In a subsequent interview, they acknowledged that the content, while having been reviewed for legal compliance, was inappropriate and ethically wrong, and expressed regret for the harm caused.

In June, a rainbow flag displayed outside the Kaktus Café in Sliema was torn down and ripped, marking the third such act of vandalism against the establishment.

In March, eight teenagers aged between 15 and 17 were charged in court after admitting to luring an 18-year-old man to an abandoned hotel in Mellieħa through a dating app, where they beat him and stole his phone. The youths faced charges of aggravated theft, grievous bodily harm, and illegal detention, with the offences aggravated by hatred based on sexual orientation. All eight pleaded guilty. Magistrate Rachel Montebello, who presided over the case, banned publication of their names and granted them bail against a personal guarantee of €8,000 each. By the end of 2025, no publicly reported update on sentencing or final judicial disposition had emerged.

In January, a couple withdrew their children from St Clare College Primary School in San Ġwann after learning that their son’s teacher was gay. The parents argued this went against their Christian values, telling the school they did not want their children mixing with people who are not straight. The incident sparked wide criticism. Equality Parliamentary Secretary Rebecca Buttigieg said it showed how much work remained to change mentalities, while Education Minister Clifton Grima thanked the school for supporting the teacher. By late January, Grima confirmed that the parents had decided to keep their children enrolled at the school.

In May, the Minister for Health confirmed in parliament that Mater Dei Hospital had carried out 17 gender-affirming surgical procedures since 2020 which included mastectomies, orchiectomies and a hysterectomy. However, the hospital does not provide genital reconstructive surgeries for trans people, meaning transfeminine and transmasculine bottom surgeries are not available within the public healthcare system.

In July, regular provision of trans/non-binary healthcare services at the Gender Wellbeing Clinic resumed after many services were at a standstill for around two years due to its psychiatrist resigning. This is due to psychiatrist consultations being mandatory before any medical services can be offered. The Health Minister confirmed that a contract for psychiatric services was approved and clinical sessions resumed that same month.

In April, Malta’s Foreign Minister Ian Borg expressed his discomfort with Hungary’s constitutional amendment banning LGBTI gatherings but refrained from outright condemnation. Borg added that he would raise the matter directly with his Hungarian counterpart to seek clarification, while underscoring that Malta’s government had made significant advances in LGBTI rights over the past 12 years.

In May, Prime Minister Robert Abela stated that while the government must continue fostering a culture of equality, Malta has already “done all that was needed to be done” in terms of LGBTI legislation. Speaking after his keynote address at the European IDAHOT+ Forum, Abela pointed to the introduction of civil unions, same-sex marriage, and other reforms as evidence that Malta had already enacted the key legislative changes required.

In February, a 30-year-old Brazilian man reported that police officers stopped him from kissing another man during carnival celebrations on St Anne Street in Floriana. The victim said he and a male friend shared what he described as a normal kiss. Two police officers then approached them and told them such behaviour was not allowed in a public place.