The Director-General of UNESCO, Audrey Azoulay, denounced the killing of television and radio journalist Juan Carlos Huerta Martínez in Mexico’s state of Tabasco on 15 May.
“I condemn the murder of Juan Carlos Huerta Martínez,” said the Director-General. “The assassination of journalists spreads fear among professionals and opens the door to self-censorship. To protect justice, freedom of expression and the free flow of news and information, I call on the authorities of Mexico to investigate this killing and bring its perpetrators to trial.”
Juan Carlos Huerta Martínez, who reported on local politics for 620AM radio and Canal Nueve TV, was shot in front of his house in Villahermosa, the capital of Tabasco State.
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.
****
Media contact: Sylvie Coudray, s.coudray@unesco.org, +33 (0)1 45 68 08 91