Unfinished Lives, Unfinished Justice

Credit: OCCRP Published: February 18, 2019

One year ago, a former policeman slipped into the home investigative journalist Ján Kuciak shared with his fiancee, Martina Kušnírová, and shot them both at close range, authorities say.

But bullets could not kill their legacy.

Thousands of the couple’s fellow Slovaks flooded the streets of Bratislava to demand justice. Prime Minister Robert Fico and three of his ministers were among those who resigned amid public accusations that the state was either negligent or complicit in the deaths.

Now, OCCRP, IRPI, Investigace.cz, and the Investigative Centre of Ján Kuciak are publishing new findings based on Ján’s reporting about organized crime in Slovakia and its ties to politics and law enforcement. The stories also reveal chilling new information about how he and Martina died.

Like their lives, justice is unfinished: Though four people are awaiting trial on charges related to the murders, the masterminds have gone unpunished.

In memory of Ján and Martina, journalists at OCCRP, its member centers, and its partners will continue reporting on the nexus of organized crime and corruption in the heart of Europe.

Stories

Questions Linger After Indictment in Slovak Journalist’s Murder

A wealthy Slovak businessman is accused of ordering the murder of a Slovak journalist and his fiancee last year. But questions remain about what powerful former officials may have known.

15 March 2019 Read the article

The Project Team

Investigace.cz

Reporting: Pavla Holcova, Eva Kubániová

IRPI

Reporting: Cecilia Anesi, Giulio Rubino, Lorenzo Bagnoli, Luca Rinaldi

The Investigative Center of Ján Kuciak

Reporting: Katarína Jánošíková

OCCRP

Coordination: Sharon L. Lynch, Anuška Delić

Editing: Sharon L. Lynch, Jodie DeJonge, Drew Sullivan, Ilya Lozovsky

Fact Checking: Birgit Brauer, Olena LaFoy, Dima Stoianov

Illustration: Edin Pašović

Promotion: Alex Cooper

Layout: Adem Kuric, Michal "Rysiek" Wozniak

With additional research, editing, and reporting by Carlo Bonini (La Repubblica), Nathan Jaccard (OCCRP), Luis Adorno (UOL Brasil), Attila Biro (Rise Romania), Atanas Tchobanov (Bivol), Jelter Meers, Karina Shedrofsky, and Katarina Sabados (OCCRP).

With gratitude to Transcrime (Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore) for data research and analysis.

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter!

And get our latest investigations on organized crime and corruption delivered straight to your inbox.