Audrey Azoulay, Director-General of UNESCO, today denounced the violent attack on journalist Abid Hussain in Pakistan’s Punjab Province, which resulted in his death on 23 August.
“I condemn the killing of Abid Hussain,” said the Director-General. “I call on authorities to bring those responsible for Hussain’s death to justice. Rule of law must be seen to prevail, if we are to eradicate the use of violence and intimidation to silence the media.”
Abid Hussain, a reporter for the Daily Sagemail newspaper, had written extensively about drug trafficking in the region. He was severely beaten on 22 August and succumbed to his injuries in hospital the following day.
UNESCO promotes the safety of journalists through global awareness-raising, capacity building and a range of actions, notably the UN Plan of Action on the Safety of Journalists and the Issue of Impunity.
See also: UNESCO condemns the killing of journalists.
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Media contact: Sylvie Coudray, s.coudray@unesco.org, +33 (0)1 45 68 08 91