Paris, 12 March {No. 96-47}- UNESCO Director-General Federico Mayor today deplored the murder of an Algerian newspaper photographer.
Djilali Arabidou, 61, a photographer for the French-language government-run weekly Algérie Actualité, was killed Tuesday in Algiers, according to press reports.
"I am saddened to learn of the death of Mr Arabidou, a respected veteran of the Algerian press corps," Mr Mayor said. "But we must not let our mourning discourage us from opposing all attempts to stifle freedom of the press. We must support and defend a free and independent press, one of the cornerstones of a tolerant and democratic society."