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NUJ joins Amnesty in condemning ‘intolerable’ delay in Martin O’Hagan murder review
THE NATIONAL Union of Journalists “fully supports the call by Amnesty International” and Martin’s family for the Police Ombudsman to release the long-delayed report. Niall Murphy, lawyer for Martin's brother Fintan O’Hagan, told Amnesty: “Our clients have awaited the publication of this report following the referral of the case to PONI [the Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland] by the PPS [Public Prosecution Service] in 2013. We were told in 2024 that the report was completed and have waited patiently for publication since.”
Martin O'Hagan attending the trade union event to mark May Day 2001
The Sunday World journalist and NUJ member was shot dead by the Loyalist Volunteer Force on 28 September 2001 near his home in Lurgan. Despite repeated calls by the union and wider public, those responsible have evaded justice for a quarter of a century.
In 2013 PONI commenced an investigation into the police handling of the case following a complaint from Fintan O’Hagan. Last year, the Ombudsman confirmed to Amnesty that their report was complete, but it still has not been published. In a letter to Fintan Hugh Hume, the chief executive of OPONI, says the Office is waiting for the appointment of a new Ombudsman before publishing the completed report, even though powers were delegated to OPONI senior staff by the outgoing Ombudsman on 31 December 2025.
Kevin Cooper, NUJ Belfast & District branch vice chair, said: “Members cannot believe that, once again, the O’Hagan family are being told to wait for answers. We demand the immediate publication of this long-awaited report.”
Séamus Dooley, NUJ assistant general secretary, said “We have been consistent in our demands for an external, independent investigation into the murder of Martin and the policing failures in this case. The long-delayed report of the Police Ombudsman has been cited as a reason why our demands have not been considered. This delay is intolerable and without justification. Martin O'Hagan's murder is a matter of the upmost importance and the report must be published without delay.”
Martin O'Hagan family 'fobbed off' as police ombudsman blocks publication of murder report amnesty.org.uk
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