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10.03.2015 - UNESCOPRESS

UNESCO Director-General condemns murder of Colombian journalist Edgar Quintero

UNESCO Director-general Irina Bokova, today denounced the murder of Colombian journalist Edgar Quintero, killed on 2 March at Palmira in the south of the country.

“I condemn the murder of Edgar Quintero, who is the second  Colombian media professional  killed in  three weeks,” the Director-General said.  “It is especially important for journalists to be able to work in conditions that are as safe as possible. I urge the Colombian authorities to do their utmost to shed light on this crime.”

            Edgar Quintero worked at Radio Luna, where he participated in a weekly broadcast. According to the Fundacion para la Liberatad de Prensa, a Colombian NGO, he reported on corruption and had received threats in the past.

            On 2 March has was shot dead by an unidentified gunman, as he entered a bakery.

            The Director-General of UNESCO issues statements on the killing of media workers in line with Resolution 29 adopted by UNESCO Member States at the Organization’s General Conference of 1997, entitled “Condemnation of Violence against Journalists.” These statements are posted on a dedicated webpage, UNESCO condemns the killing of journalists.

 

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Media contact: Sylvie Coudray, s.coudray@unesco.org, +33 (0)1 45 68 42 12

 

 

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…”

 

 




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