UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay today reiterated her call on all parties to the conflict in Yemen to protect the safety of journalists and respect their civilians rights following the death of journalist Anwar al-Rakan on 2 June.
“I condemn the fatal mistreatment of Anwar al-Rakan,” said the Director-General. “In keeping with the Geneva Conventions, all parties to a conflict must respect the civilian status of journalists and protect their safety.”
Al-Rakan, a former journalist for the Al-Gomhouria newspaper, was abducted by Ansar Allah militants last year and released just two days before his death, which has been attributed to the torture he endured in captivity.
UNESCO promotes the safety of journalists through global awareness-raising, capacity-building and a range of actions, notably the UN Plan of Action on the Safety of Journalists and the Issue of Impunity
See also: UNESCO condemns the killing of journalists.
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Media contact: Sylvie Coudray, s.coudray@unesco.org, +33 (0)1 45 68 08 91