NUJ expresses concern as death threat issued to journalist in Northern Ireland

The union said a member was notified of the threat and it understands the Police Service of Northern Ireland is taking it seriously.

The NUJ has expressed concern after a journalist in Northern Ireland was issued with a death threat.

The union said a member was notified of the threat and it understands the Police Service of Northern Ireland is taking it seriously.

NUJ Irish organiser Ian McGuinness said the union has noted a “sharp increase” in reported threats.

Behind each press statement, there is a journalist who has been threatened with violence or murder, simply for pursuing stories in the public interest

“Death threats against journalists – issued by shadowy elements of society because they don’t like what those journalists are writing or broadcasting about them – is not normal,” he said.

“It is the very definition of abnormal. We have noted a sharp increase in reported threats and know that many members do not even report threats to the PSNI or their employer.

“We should never allow threats to become normal and society should not become complacent.

“It is not normal that such death threats are made, and our condemnations cannot become normal or ritualised.

“Behind each press statement, there is a journalist who has been threatened with violence or murder, simply for pursuing stories in the public interest, a human being who has received a knock at the door from the PSNI, often late at night or early in the morning, telling them that their life is in danger.”

Seamus Dooley (Liam McBurney/PA)

Seamus Dooley, NUJ assistant general secretary, said: “What the people behind this latest death threat want is to strangle investigative and public interest journalism at its source – the journalist who brings the news to the public.

“This latest threat, like all such threats, is also a threat to a free and independent media. It is designed to terrorise journalists from covering certain stories.

“Given that any healthy democracy depends on a free and independent media, it is also a threat to democracy in Northern Ireland and should be of deep concern to all citizens.”

The PSNI said: “Police do not comment on the security of individuals and no inference should be drawn from this.

“However, if we receive information that a person’s life may be at risk we will inform them accordingly. We never ignore anything which may put an individual at risk.”