London, September 28, 2026—A quarter of a century after journalist Martin O’Hagan was shot dead in Northern Ireland, his family is still waiting for justice. On the anniversary of his death, CPJ and Amnesty International UK are calling for a fresh investigation, and for the immediate publication of a long delayed Ombudsman’s report into police handling of the case.
O’Hagan, a 51-year-old investigative journalist who worked in the Belfast office of the Dublin newspaper Sunday World,
was shot dead in Lurgan, County Armagh
on September 28, 2001, by members of a loyalist paramilitary group.
To date, no one has been held accountable for the murder, creating an environment of impunity which encourages further attacks and has a chilling effect on journalists in Northern Ireland, which remains the most
dangerous place
to be a journalist in the United Kingdom.
“It’s shameful that 25 years have passed and we are still waiting for justice for Martin O’Hagan. He was killed to silence his reporting on paramilitary crime, and the failure to punish his killers is not only crushing for those who knew him, but also fuels the unacceptable level of threat and violence which journalists in Northern Ireland continue to face today,” said Fiona O’Brien, CPJ’s regional director for Europe and Central Asia.
“Impunity emboldens those who attack journalists, encourages journalists to self-censor, and ultimately robs the public of vital information on crime, corruption and other abuses of power. After 25 years, we are tired of excuses. We therefore renew our call for a fresh investigation into Martin O’Hagan’s death, and for transparency from the Police Ombudsman as to how police originally handled the case.”
In September 2013, Northern Ireland’s director of public prosecutions
called on
the Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland (PONI) to investigate the police handling of the case.
Amnesty International said PONI confirmed to them that they are still “not in a position t
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