Audrey Azoulay, Director-General of UNESCO, has condemned the killing of broadcast journalist Edgar Joel Aguilar in the town of La Entrada in western Honduras on 31 August.
“I condemn the murder of Edgar Joel Aguilar,” said the Director-General. “It is important for the authorities to spare no effort in protecting journalists and investigating attacks against them. Both the protection of journalists and the prosecution of those who use violence to muzzle them, are essential in upholding freedom of expression and freedom of information.”
In his reporting, Aguilar, a journalist for national television broadcaster Canal 6, and for local television channels Telemaya Canal 12 and Cablemar TV, regularly covered crime and criminal court cases.
According to a police spokesperson, Aguilar had been the target of armed attacks and death threats. The journalist is reported to have contacted local police and requested their protection after he was followed and harassed by unknown persons on the day preceding his killing.
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: Sylvie Coudray, s.coudray@unesco.org, +33 (0)1 45 68 08 91