DIRECTOR-GENERAL EXPRESSES DEEP
CONCERN OVER THE MURDER OF MEXICAN JOURNALIST
Paris, March 27 (No.2001-49) -
UNESCO Director-General Koïchiro Matsuura today expressed his grave concern
about news of the killing of Mexican Journalist Saul Martinez on Saturday, March
24, near the town of Matamoros, in the north of the country, close to the United
States border.
Mr Matsuura deplored the fact
that yet another journalist was murdered in Latin America, a region that has
frequently been prey to this type of violence. He declared: “I am deeply
concerned about this new killing. Death is a very high price to pay for freedom
of expression. This killing shows, once again, that we must spare no effort in
combating the impunity that all too often characterizes acts of violence against
journalists around the world.”
He added: “As most
professional media organizations have done over the last few years, and in line
with the resolution unanimously adopted by UNESCO’s General Conference in
1997, I call on our Member States to take all necessary measures, urgently, to
prevent such crimes, investigate them and punish them.”
Mr Martinez, the deputy editor
of the Matamoros newspaper El Imparcial, who was well known for his
reporting on organized crime and illegal drug trafficking, was gunned down by
four bullets. He had received several threats in the past. The motive for his
killing and the identity of his murderers remain, however, unknown.
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