Northern Ireland unites against threats to journalists

• 19 May 2020

This unprecedented joint initiative aims to highlight and challenge the increasing number of threats of violence inflicted on the media

The publishers of three Belfast-based newspapers and the NUJ have joined together to stand up for journalists and press freedom in Northern Ireland. The initiative has attracted local and global endorsement, involving many prominent individuals and organisations, all listed below.

The public statement appears in the Belfast Telegraph, Irish News and News Letter newspapers tomorrow.

This unprecedented joint initiative aims to highlight and challenge the increasing number of threats of violence inflicted on the media.

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Séamus Dooley, NUJ assistant general secretary, said:

"In the past the trade union movement took to the streets in protest against the threats to workers. In the difficult circumstances in which we find ourselves today, we rely on newspapers to highlight the threats to journalists.

"By working with the publishers and our members affected, we have been able to secure the support of a cross-section of society in Northern Ireland. We warmly welcome the strong stand taken by political and community leaders and look forward to a renewed drive to ensure journalists can safely carry out their work on behalf of the public."

Martin Breen, Sunday Life editor, said:

"Enough is enough. Some 26 years after the ceasefires terrorist organisations from both the loyalist and republican side are continuing to threaten journalists on an ongoing basis because we have been exposing their dirty deeds and criminal empires.

"We all have to stand up against these vile threats as their sole aim is to silence investigative journalism and curtail the public's right to know about those gangsters operating in their communities across Northern Ireland. We hold everyone to account and will continue to expose criminality and all wrongdoing no matter where it originates."

Brian Farrell, Sunday World editor, said:

"The recent threats issued to our journalists only serves to highlight the risk and importance of exposing the criminal menace that plagues our society. We will not be silenced nor intimidated and will not rest until those responsible are brought to justice."

Noel Doran, Irish News editor, said:

"The increase in the number of serious threats against Belfast-based journalists is a deeply alarming development, so the significant level of support behind today's initiative is heartening. It sends out a strong message that all the attempts at intimidation will have no effect on our coverage, that the perpetrators need to be robustly pursued by the authorities and that civil society is firmly behind freedom of the press."

Owen Reidy, Irish Congress of Trade Unions assistant general secretary, said:

"Every worker has the right to go to work and come home from a day’s work free from intimidation, fear or threat to them and their families. It is a value the trade union hold dear and will defend completely. Any functioning normal society has certain values and part of that is people going about their business without intimidation and fear of their lives."

Arlene Foster, Northern Ireland first minister, said:

"The recent paramilitary threats targeting journalists and politicians represent an assault upon our society and upon democracy. This cannot be tolerated. Previous generations put their lives on the line to protect free speech. We must continue to defend that freedom today."

Michelle O’Neill, Northern Ireland deputy first minister, said:

"Intimidation of journalists and those in public life must never be tolerated. These threats, and those behind them should be condemned by each and every one of us. The freedom of the press is of fundamental importance to our democracy and those who seek to attack that democracy have no place in our society."

John Whittingdale, UK government minister for media and data, said:

"Journalism is a bedrock of democracy and those who are keeping our communities informed and holding the powerful to account must not be intimidated or threatened as they carry out their work. We stand with journalists and will do all we can to support them in doing their jobs without fear or favour."

Text of the public statement:

Stand up for Journalism

Over the past 12 months we have witnessed with alarm an increase in the number of violent threats against journalists in Northern Ireland.

This month Loyalist paramilitaries have threatened all journalists working at the Sunday Life and Sunday World newspapers in Belfast. This follows recent threats against a journalist working for The Irish News.

Attempts to intimidate journalists have come from dissident Republican and Loyalist paramilitary groups and are intended to prevent the media from investigating their activities and exposing criminality.

Threats against journalists and media organisations have no place in our society. It is vital that such behaviour is not tolerated. No worker should be exposed to threats for doing their job.

At a time when the media is playing such an important role in covering the terrible Covid-19 pandemic the recent, blanket threat is especially worrying.

Elected politicians who criticised the threats have now become the subject of intimidation from groups without any mandate.

Attempts have been made to silence public representatives for defending the right to freedom of expression.

Public support has sustained journalists during the dark days of the past.

Today we assert the right of our communities to be informed by journalists operating without fear or intimidation.

It is the function of the media to ask difficult questions, to speak truth to power, to expose corruption, to shine a light into dark corners.

Journalists in Northern Ireland will continue to do so.

A free, independent media is a cornerstone of democracy.

No group can be allowed to undermine the freedom of the press. Every effort must be made to ensure that those who are guilty of intimidation are brought to justice.

We call for the immediate withdrawal of all threats against journalists in Northern Ireland and for the freedom of the press to be respected and protected.

Supported by –

#StandupforJournalism

The NUJ has launched a public petition of the statement for all supporters to sign.

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Since the Stand up for Journalism initiative was launched, it has been warmly welcomed and endorsed by many more supporters including –

Trade union leaders: Dominique Pradalié, general secretary of the French journalists' union SNJ, and Ricardo Gutierrez, general secretary of the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ).

The largest public service union in Ireland, FORSA, has pledged their support as have the Journalists' Union of Athens Daily Newspaper (JUADN).

Members of parliament: Jo Stevens, Labour's shadow secretary of state for digital, culture, media and sport, and Chris Matheson, Labour's shadow minister for digital, culture, media and sport, have supported the campaign. Other politicians include Rob Butler, Conservative MP for Aylesbury, and Lord Hay of Ballyore, Democratic Unionist Party life peer.

NGOs and civic society leaders have also backed the initiative, including Rebecca Vincent, UK bureau director of Reporters Without Borders, and Ian Marshall, former president of the Ulster Farmer's Union.

• News
• Media freedom
• attacks
• threats
• Belfast Telegraph
• Irish News
• News Letter
• petition
• solidarity
• Sunday Life
• Sunday World
• Andersonstown News
• Impartial Reporter
• Independent News and Media
• WAN: IFRA
• World Editors Forum
• IFJ
• Society of Editors
• DUP
• Sinn Féin
• UUP
• Alliance
• Northern Ireland Assembly
• SDLP
• trades councils
• INTO
• ICTU
• TUC
• ITUC
• BFAWU
• CWU
• FSU
• FBU
• GMB
• NASUWT
• NIPSA
• PCS
• POA
• Prospect
• BECTU
• RCM
• UTU
• SIPTU
• Unison
• Unite
• SNJ
• EFJ
• FORSA
• JUADN
• Labour party
• Conservative party
• Reporters Without Borders
• UFU
• dissident loyalists
• dissident republicans
• legal
• Newspapers
• Northern Ireland

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