Irish journalist Lyra McKee was buried yesterday. WAN-IFRA and the World Editors Forum are calling the authorities to do everything possible to ensure that Ms McKee’s murderer is swiftly brought to justice. Identifying and prosecuting the killer - and those who facilitated the violence that led to Ms McKee’s death will deliver a clear statement that the safety of journalists is a priority and that there is no impunity for anyone committing such an act.
Ms McKee was covering violence that had broken out in Londonderry/Derry on 18 April. She was standing next to a police vehicle when a masked gunman shot her. Ms McKee was taken by ambulance to hospital but died soon after. It appears that the gunman may have been shooting in the general direction of the police, rather than deliberately targeting Ms McKee as a journalist. A republican organisation calling itself The New IRA has admitted responsibility for her murder.
Regardless of the motive behind Ms McKee’s death, her killing has provoked immense shock and revulsion amongst our member editors as well as throughout the international journalistic community.
We acknowledge and welcome the swift and thorough condemnations from all sides of the political spectrum. We respectfully call on you to do everything possible to ensure that Ms McKee’s murderer is swiftly brought to justice. Identifying and prosecuting the killer - and those who facilitated the violence that led to Ms McKee’s death - will deliver a clear statement that the safety of journalists is a priority and that there is no impunity for anyone committing such an act.
Attached is a a letter jointly addressed to Mrs Arleen Foster MLA and Mrs Michelle O’Neill MLA on behalf of Michael Golden, President of the World Association of Newspapers and News Publishers (WAN-IFRA) and David Callaway, President of the World Editors Forum, concerning the death of journalist Lyra McKee.
