Director-General condemns murder of Colombian journalist Luis Eduardo Gómez
11-07-2011 (Paris)
The Director-General of UNESCO, Irina Bokova, condemned the murder of independent Colombian journalist Luis Eduardo Gómez, killed by unidentified gunmen on 30 June.
“I condemn the murder of Luis Eduardo Gómez,” the Director-General declared. “I am very concerned about the use of violence to silence journalists as there can be no good governance and rule of law without a free and independent press. I call on the Colombian authorities do all they can to find the perpetrators of this crime and bring them to justice.”
Luis Eduardo Gómez, 70, was shot dead on his way home in Arboletes (Urabá). A freelance journalist for several publications, Gómez was a witness for the prosecution in a case involving alleged links between politicians and paramilitary groups.
Mr Gómez is also reported to have been investigating the death of his son who was assassinated two years ago in circumstances that have not been clarified, according to the Foundation for Press Freedom.
Luis Eduardo Gómez, 70, was shot dead on his way home in Arboletes (Urabá). A freelance journalist for several publications, Gómez was a witness for the prosecution in a case involving alleged links between politicians and paramilitary groups.
Mr Gómez is also reported to have been investigating the death of his son who was assassinated two years ago in circumstances that have not been clarified, according to the Foundation for Press Freedom.
UNESCO is the United Nations agency with a mandate to defend freedom of expression and press freedom. Article 1 of its Constitution requires the Organization to “further universal respect for justice, for the rule of law and for the human rights and fundamental freedoms which are affirmed for the peoples of the world, without distinction of race, sex, language or religion, by the Charter of the United Nations.” To realize this the Organization is requested to “collaborate in the work of advancing the mutual knowledge and understanding of peoples, through all means of mass communication and to that end recommend such international agreements as may be necessary to promote the free flow of ideas by word and image…”
Related themes/countries
· Colombia
· Press Freedom
· UNESCO Remembers Assassinated Journalists
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