Murder of journalist in Northern Ireland an attack on free speech: UN rights envoy

A United Nations human rights envoy today expressed deep concern over the recent murder of a journalist in Northern Ireland, calling it "an attack on one of the fundamental principles of any democratic society: the freedom of the press."

Abid Hussain, the UN Commission on Human Rights Special Rapporteur for the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression, noted with great concern that the 28 September assassination of Martin O'Hagan had raised to 14 the number of journalists killed worldwide since the beginning of 2001 while carrying out their professional duties.

According to the Rapporteur, the 51-year-old Mr. O'Hagan, a journalist for The Sunday World newspaper, was murdered near his home, in front of his wife, in Lurgan County Armagh, becoming the first journalist to be killed in the past 30 years of conflict in Northern Ireland.

The Red Hand Defenders, a loyalist paramilitary group, has claimed responsibility for his murder, the Rapporteur said.