How to delete a user from field 'Participants of an issue'

[Martin Heini]

Hi all! How can I remove a specific user from the list in a Jira field with type 'Participants of an issue'?

Background: a technical user had write access and must now be removed from the system. I can only delete this user if there are no more references in issues. This field is the only one I can't change/delete values in - only add.

I tried in vain with ScriptRunner (Groovy) and JMWE Postfunctions.

[Martin Heini · Accepted solution]

from my experience: 'Participant of an issue' came here from author of one or more comments. Only deleting the comments causes deleting the author from collection of participants.

[Joe Pitt]

Make them inactive and remove any permissions they have. I don't believe you can remove them. Deleting users is always problematic. Jira uses pointer to the user whenever they are referenced, not the actual user name.  

[Martin Heini]

Hi Joe

Thanks for comment. It is precisely (and only) the referencing in field 'Participants of an issue' that prevents the user from being deleted. If I could remove this reference, then I could delete the user without any problems.

Hence my question: how do I remove a reference (a user) from field 'Participants'?
Or how do I delete the content of field 'Participants' entirely? It only affects about 20 issues.

any suggestions?

"Make them inactive and remove any permissions they have" - yes, I did so.