The Director-General of UNESCO, Irina Bokova, today deplored the killing of Brazilian community radio journalist Djalma Santos da Conceição and cautioned that his murder must not go unpunished.
“I condemn the killing of Djalma Santos da Conceição,” the Director-General said. “I am deeply concerned about violent crimes against media workers. The perpetrators of these crimes must be brought to trial both for the sake of justice and to protect press freedom and citizens’ right to be kept informed. Violence and fear must not be allowed to muzzle the free press that people everywhere need.”
Santos da Conceição, 53, presented a daily programme, Acorda Cidade, on RCA FM, a community radio in Conceição da Feira, northwest of Salvador, the state capital of Bahia. According to media reports, he was kidnapped by armed men in the neighbouring town of Governador Mangabeiro on the evening of 22 May. Police found his dead body the next day in Timbó, a nearby rural community.
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.
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(at)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…”