UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay has welcomed instructions by the Prime Minister of Greece for authorities to investigate the shooting of journalist Giorgos Karaivaz in Athens on 9 April.
I condemn the murder of Giorgos Karaivaz in Greece. Using guns to silence journalists constitutes a blatant attack on the fundamental human right of freedom of expression and on the right to access information. I welcome the authorities' commitment to bringing those responsible for this affront to Greek democracy and rule of law to justice.
Karaivaz was shot by two unidentified gunmen as he was returning home from work. The journalist was a crime reporter for private broadcaster Star TV, a contributor to the newspaper Eleftheros Typos and the founder of news website bloko.gr.
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
- Media contact: Guilherme Canela de Souza Godoi