UNESCO boss condemns murders of Pakistani journalists

 JournalismPakistan.com |  Published 6 years ago

PARIS - United Nations Cultural Organization (UNESCO) chief Audrey Azoulay on Monday condemned the recent murders of two journalists in Pakistan and urged their killers to be brought to justice.

"I condemn the killing of Ali Sher Rajpar and Malik Amanullah. Bringing those responsible for these crimes to justice is essential for press freedom in the country and for journalists' ability to inform citizens and hold authorities to account," Azoulay said in a statement.

Rajpar, a journalist for Sindhi daily newspaper Awami Awaz, was shot dead on May 4 in Padidan outside the local press club, of which he was chairman. He had reportedly requested police protection after receiving threats.

Amanullah, a reporter for the local Meezan-e-Adal newspaper and chairman of the Parowa Press Club, was killed by unidentified gunmen on April 30 in Dera Ismail Khan.

Rajpar and Amanullah were the first journalists reported to have been killed this year. At least three journalists were killed in connection with their work in 2018. Two of them had been covering drug trafficking, according to international press watchdog Reporters without Borders.

Pakistan was ranked 142 in this year's World Press Freedom index, down from 139 last year. - Agencies