Northern Ireland: New Police Ombudsman must publish Martin O'Hagan murder report

The new Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland must release the report into the failed police investigation of the 2001 murder of journalist Martin O’Hagan.

That is the call from Amnesty International following the appointment of Jacqui Durkin who takes up the role on 26 June. The post has been vacant since 31 December 2025.

Earlier this month, Mr O’Hagan’s brother Fintan O’Hagan revealed that he had been advised by the Chief Executive of OPONI, Hugh Hume, that although the report had been completed, it would not be released until the appointment of a new Ombudsman.

Mr O’Hagan’s family, Amnesty International and the National Union of Journalists and have all called for the Office to release the long-delayed report into the investigation of his murder.

Fintan O’Hagan, Martin O’Hagan’s brother, said:

“We first brought our concerns about the police investigation to the Police Ombudsman when Nuala O’Loan was in office – that’s how long we have been waiting.

“We have been repeatedly told that the investigation was complete, only for publication to be delayed.

“With Jacqui Durkin now in post, there can be no more excuses not to publish.

“In our view, the police investigation was clearly seriously flawed. We need the Ombudsman’s report and then we must have an independent public inquiry.”

Patrick Corrigan, Amnesty International’s Head of Nations and Regions, said:

“Releasing the Martin O’Hagan report should be the new Police Ombudsman’s first item of business. The O’Hagan family have already waited far too long.

“Nearly 25 years on, the murder of Martin O’Hagan remains a stark reminder of the dangers faced by journalists in Northern Ireland.

“A quarter of a century after he was shot dead, Northern Ireland remains the most dangerous part of the UK in which to be a journalist.

“The investigation into his murder failed to deliver justice. Charges initially brought against suspects were abandoned, nobody has been held responsible, and publication of the Police Ombudsman’s report has been delayed time and again.”

Niall Murphy, lawyer for Fintan O’Hagan, said:

“Our clients have awaited the publication of this report since the referral of the case to PONI by the Director of Public Prosecutions in 2013.

“Two years ago, we were told that the report was complete, yet it still remains to be published.

“Our clients have very serious concerns as to the failure by police to secure the convictions of those who carried out Martin’s brutal murder. Our clients have long-standing concerns that state agents may have been protected from prosecution.”

Justice delayed is justice denied

Sunday World journalist Martin O’Hagan was shot dead on 28 September 2001 in Lurgan by members of a loyalist paramilitary group. He had written extensively about the activities of that paramilitary group and its members.

A 100-page report by Amnesty published in June 2025, Occupational Hazard? Threats and violence against journalists in Northern Ireland, documented how journalists continue to be regularly subjected to violence and threats, including death threats. The report revealed there were no prosecutions related to threats to journalists from paramilitaries, which made up the majority of the threats.