The Director-General of UNESCO, Audrey Azoulay, has urged an investigation into the killing of journalist Zulfiqar Ali Mandrani in the town of Dodapur in Pakistan’s Sindh Province on 26 May.
“I condemn the murder of Zulfiqar Ali Mandrani,” said the Director-General. “I call on the authorities to investigate this killing and bring its perpetrators to trial. Impunity for crimes against journalists constitutes a tacit endorsement of violence and an unacceptable restriction on press freedom and freedom of expression.”
The body of Zulfiqar Ali Mandrani, a reporter for Sindhi-language newspaper Daily Koshish, was found with two gunshots wounds to his head and marks of torture on his back. According to media reports, he had received threats in connection with his reporting.
UNESCO promotes the safety of journalists through global awareness-raising, capacity building and a range of actions, notably in the framework of the UN Plan of Action on the Safety of Journalists and the Issue of Impunity.
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See also: UNESCO observatory of killed journalists
Media contact: Guilherme Canela De Souza , g.godoi@unesco.org