The Director-General of UNESCO, Audrey Azoulay, has called on Pakistani authorities to investigate the murder of journalist Urooj Iqbal, who was killed in Lahore, Pakistan, on 25 November.
I condemn the murder of journalist Urooj Iqbal," the Director-General said. “Women journalists around the world face significant threats, both to their physical safety and to their right to freedom of expression. It is important to state clearly that femicide cannot be tolerated.”
According to media reports, Urooj Iqbal was found dead, shot in the head, in the building where she lived. She had recently told the police that she had received threats from her husband, who was also urging her to give up her profession as a journalist. The crime, which coincided with the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, is a reminder of the importance of taking action against threats against women journalists.
UNESCO promotes the safety of journalists through global awareness-raising, capacity-building and the implementation of the United Nations Plan of Action on the Safety of Journalists and the Issue of Impunity.
See also: UNESCO observatory of killed journalists
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Media contact: Sylvie Coudray, s.coudray@unesco.org, +33 (0)1 45 68 08 91