Northern Ireland: The Coalition For Women In Journalism Calls Upon PNSI And The UK Authorities To Investigate The Threats To Patricia Devlin, And Bring The Perpetrators To Justice.

Location: Northern Ireland
Date: February 22, 2021

Award-winning crime journalist Patricia Devlin is subjected to death and rape threats since 2019. In April 2019, Patricia was targeted with an online troll campaign by members of a mob she had been regularly reporting on. They harassed her with misogynistic slurs and sent out threats of rape. In October 2019, the situation worsened when she received rape threats for her newborn son and became victim to the doxxing campaign which gave out the address of the journalist and named her family members.

In October 2020, the Ulster Defence Association (UDA), a loyalist paramilitary group in Northern Ireland, sent a death threat to Patricia on her social media. When Patricia reported the threat to Facebook, the platform responded that it did not breach any safety standards, and thus will not be removed. Later, Patricia’s colleague received a threat of an “imminent attack” at the Sunday World and it appeared that threat originated from the same paramilitary group that targeted Patricia.

Patricia informed the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) of the threats she had been receiving, however, she received no response. In November 2020, Patricia filed a complaint with the Northern Ireland Police Ombudsman for PSNI's failure to investigate the threats. Patricia also requested the Scottish Police for their assistance in the case. Despite all the efforts from her end, Patricia was not informed of any developments regarding the case.

On February 12, 2021, Patricia’s name was depicted on graffiti alongside a gunshot target. This was the latest in a series of sinister attempts to threaten Patricia into silence.

Over the past few years, crime has steadily risen in Northern Ireland, creating an environment of fear and violence in the region. Journalist Allison Morris received a similar threat on February 19, 2021, while journalist Leona O'Neill received one last year. It is also important to remind ourselves of Lyra McKee, a freelance reporter who was killed in April 2019. To make matters worse, hateful graffiti targeting her showed up on the walls of Derry on February 22, 2021, in an attempt to disrespect her memory. The publishers of three Belfast-based newspapers and the National Union of Journalists (NUJ) also issued a statement in order to bring attention to the threats that the journalist community was facing.

A free and unthreatened media is an important facet of a stable, democratic society. Women journalists become especially vulnerable whenever the journalistic community faces such risks in a country, due to the gendered nature of the attacks they can be targeted with.

We urge the UK government and the Police Service of Northern Ireland to urgently address Patricia’s security concerns and assure her safety by arresting the perpetrators of the threats against her and bringing them to justice.

Signatories:

1. Kiran Nazish, Founding Director at CFWIJ

2. Ceren İskit, Research Coordinator at CFWIJ

3. Katia Mierzejewska, Engagement Coordinator at CFWIJ

4. Ayesha Khalid, Research Coordinator at CFWIJ

5. Aimun Faisal, Research Coordinator at CFWIJ

6. Damla Tarhan, MENA Coordinator at CFWIJ

7. Francis Hughes, Journalist, Author, Activist

8. Philip Brown, Journalist

9. Bob Miller, Journalist

10. Leona O'Neill, Journalist 

11. Aodhán Roberts, Freelance Filmmaker, Photographer, Practising Journalist

12. Bimpe Archer, Journalist

13. Margaux Ewen, Executive Director, James W. Foley Legacy Foundation

14. Suzanne Breen, Political Editor, Belfast Telegraph

15. Grace O'Malley, Blogger

16. Julie Gilmour, Councillor 

17. Judith McNeill, Councillor

18. Jilly Beattie, Journalist

19. Grace Bunting, Blogger

20. Brendan Harkin, Legal Analyst

21. Paul McKenna, News, Digital media production

22. Liam Wilson, Manager 

23. Brenda Donnelly, Lawyer

24. Thımas Elliott, Artist

25. Jonathan McKerr, Artist

26. Dr Michael Pierse, Academic

27. Ciarán Arthurs, Project Manager

28. John Devitt, Chief Executive

29. Charmaine Kelly, Staff Nurse 

30. Katie Pritchard, IT Support

31. Alison Park, Work planner 

32. Seamus Watson, Quality Engineer

33. Eileen Crawford, Administration 

34. Ann Travers , Advocacy worker 

35. Culann McLaughlin, Telecoms

36. Karl Lynagh, Manager

37. Tommy Maguire, Manager

38. Aidan Jones, Manager

39. Conor McKinney, Ecologist

40. Shaun Cassidy

41. Denis Cairns

42. Andrena McBrearty

43. Vincent Canning 

44. Ruaidhri McAleenan, Carer

45. Paddy Trainor, Voluntary Sector

46. Philip Campbell, Cabler

47. McLaughlin, Domestic Assistant

48. Deirdre Taylor, Retired nurse

49. Henry Monaghan, School Janitor

50. David Keeley, Developer

51. Dillon Lesley Ann, Carer

52. Bill Maher, Retired

53. Barry McDonald, Engineer

54. Neil Sheridan, Labourer 

55. Stephen Coulter, Logistics operator

56. John Mcguigan, Self-employed

57. Paul Davis, Retired

58. Joseph McElgunn, Self-employed

59. Harriett Moore-Boyd, Textile designer & maker

60. Claire Maxwell, Fire and Security Engineer

61. Fiona Roberts, Teacher

62. Claire Coyle, Legal Secretary

63. Stephen Drew, Computer Programmer 

64. Gregory O'Neill, House husband

65. Christine Mcveigh, Customer Assistant

66. Rosemary Mcgreevy

67. Sean Osborne, Support Worker 

68. Joe Hayes, Manager

69. Eamon Melia, Carpenter

70. Rorie Smyth, Civil Servant

71. Tony Megahey, IT Manager

72. Danny Walsh, Electrician

73. Gary Russell, Unemployed

74. Sean Quinn, Farmer

75. Jeden Walsh, Graphic Designer

76. Christine O'Mahony, Student

77. Alan Freeman, Unemployed

78. Brian Osborne, Clinical sales specialist 

79. Aobh Sharvin, Student

80. Teresa Ginley, Recruitment consultant 

81. Alex McGuigan, Instructor

82. William Gordon, Retired

83. Orla Doran, Accountant

84. Sean Mulholland, Chef

85. Brian Guiney

86. Neil Templeton, Company Director 

87. Derek Magill, Civil Servant

88. Deirdre Rafferty

89. Anthony McGonnell, Retired teacher

90. Kim McMahon, Self Employed

91. Clare McClure, Project manager

92. Rosà Paola, OBC Transeuropa

93. Michael O'Kane, Postman

94. Maureen McCormick, Retail

95. Dillan Blackwood, Supervisor

96. John Carland, Plant Operator

97. Nicola George, Carer

98. Henry Brian Shaw, Home Worker

99. Maria Duddy, Therapist

100. Frank O'Neill, Worker

101. Chris Jordan, Tech Sales

102. Alan O'Connor, Electrician

103. Deborah Faulkner, Customs coordinator 

104. Conor Mc Ginley, Taxi driver

105. Kelly McAuley, Retired

106. Gary Reid, Self-employed

107. Sean McGreevy, Musician

108. Finnan Lane, Civil Servant

109. Mark Reel, IT Professional

110. Stephen Yathindran, Postal Worker 

111. Sean Brolly, Ambulance service

112. Mark Gourley, Leadership & Learning Manager

113. Gareth McCord, Retired

114. Chris Devine

115. Zach Robinson

116. Louise Deery, Retired

117. Suzanne McLaren, Call centre agent

118. Eugene Doherty, Bus Driver

119. Martin McGeown, Finance Officer

120. Jeremiah Keogh, Artist

121. Liam Donnan, Retired

122. Anton Boyce, Electrician 

123. James McCann, Care Worker 

124. Paul McVeigh, Officer

125. Joseph Graham, Student

126. Aidan Daly

127. John Maguire, Taxi Driver

128. Dan Brown, Taxi driver 

129. Shari Moko

130. Leanne Dmyterko, Communications Manager 

131. Susan McKay, Journalist

132. Linda Stewart, Journalist

133. M. Haytham Matthews, Unemployed

The CFWIJ strongly condemns the police brutality against journalists. We demand the immediate return of the press cards seized from the security forces. Policies to intimidate journalists should be abandoned, and journalism should be practiced under the criteria of freedom of the press.

If you have been harassed or abused in any way, and please report the incident by using the following form.