UNESCO condemns attacks against media professionals in Nepal
11-05-2010 (Kathmandu)
Celebration of World Press Freedom
Day in Kathmandu
© UNESCO
The UNESCO Office in Kathmandu condemns the intimidations and attacks faced by journalists and media personnel covering the incidents at Singha Durbar in Kathmandu on 9 May 2010.
“These attacks violate the fundamental rights of the media professionals who have been targeted. But they also attack the right of everyone to receive a diversity of information and ideas,” states UNESCO’s Office in Kathmandu. “Under no circumstances journalists should be hindered to play their central role to contribute to the peace process through accuracy and independence of reporting, transparency and professionalism,” adds the statement.
The UNESCO Office in Kathmandu is particularly concerned by the attacks as they come only a few days after the celebrations of World Press Freedom Day on 3 May, during which UNESCO Director-General, Irina Bokova, stressed that “far too many journalists exercise their profession in an environment where restrictions on information are the norm, where dealing with pressure, harassment intimidation or even physical assault are all in a day’s work”.
The UNESCO Office in Kathmandu is particularly concerned by the attacks as they come only a few days after the celebrations of World Press Freedom Day on 3 May, during which UNESCO Director-General, Irina Bokova, stressed that “far too many journalists exercise their profession in an environment where restrictions on information are the norm, where dealing with pressure, harassment intimidation or even physical assault are all in a day’s work”.
UNESCO is the only 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
· Nepal
· Press Freedom
· World Press Freedom Day 2010
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