Paris, 14 January {No. 97-06} - UNESCO Director-General Federico Mayor today condemned the reported contract killing of Brazilian journalist Natan Pereira Gatinho.

According to press reports, Mr Gatinho, 23, who worked with the radio station Cidade FM de Paragominas in the Brazilian state of Para, was shot dead on 11 January by a pistoleiro, or contract killer, who escaped.

Reports said the journalist had regularly been exposing certain major landowners in the region alleged to have been making illegal claims to territory. He had also denounced operators allegedly secretly cutting down trees without authorisation, and various unscrupulous local business people.

“The murder of this young Brazilian journalist is intolerable,” Mr Mayor said in a statement. “According to the information at our disposal he paid with his life for broadcasts in which he questioned the practices of certain landowners.

“The murder of a journalist constitutes a challenge to democracy,” the UNESCO chief added. “Journalists must be able to exercise their profession in complete freedom, without risk of intimidation or fear of reprisal.”