Paris, 16 December—UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay has condemned the killing of television journalist Hussein Khattab, calling for an investigation into the murder which took place in the town of Al-Bab, in the northwest of Syria, on 12 December.
“I condemn the murder of journalist Hussein Khattab,” said the Director-General. “I call on the authorities to identify and prosecute those responsible for this crime. Violence against the media deprives people of information they need and deserve to obtain, particularly in times of strife and pandemic.”
Hussein Khattab, a reporter for the Turkish public broadcaster TRT Arabic since 2019, was shot dead while filming a report about the COVID-19 pandemic. Khattab had received threats to his life for his work which he used to share on his Facebook page.
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. See also: UNESCO observatory of killed journalists
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Media contact: Guilherme Canela de Souza Godoi