UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay has called for an investigation into the killing of broadcaster Chennakeshavalu in Nandyal, a village in Andhra Pradesh, India, on 8 August.
I condemn the murder of Chennakeshavalu. I trust the authorities will spare no effort in investigating this killing and establishing whether the journalist was targeted for his reporting. Impunity must not be allowed to embolden the use of violence to restrict freedom of expression and the public’s right to access information.
Chennakeshavalu, a journalist for local news channel EV5-TV, was stabbed by a police officer and his brother. According to the police, the journalist had aired a report in which he accused his alleged killer of involvement in illegal gambling and tobacco sales. Witnesses took the journalist to hospital where died from his injuries. The suspected killers have been arrested.
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