UNESCO chief condemns murder of 2 Palestinian media workers in Gaza City

The Director-General of the United Nations Educationa, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) today called for an investigation into the killing of two Palestinians working at a newspaper in Gaza City earlier this month.

“I condemn the murder of Suleiman Abdul-Rahim al-Ashi and Mohammad Matar Abdo,” said Koïchiro Matsuura. “Killing journalists and media workers is not just a crime against individual people but an attack on society’s right to be informed – it is also an attack against the basic human right of freedom of expression,” he declared.

“I trust the Palestinian authorities will investigate these crimes and bring their perpetrators to justice,” said Mr. Matsuura.

“I also urge the Palestinian presidency and Government to do their utmost to ensure respect for freedom of the press, an indispensable condition for the development of a democratic Palestinian society and for the improvement of the living conditions of the Palestinian people.”

According to the Committee to Protect Journalists, on 13 May gunmen wearing presidential guard uniforms shot Abdul-Rahim al-Ashi, and Mohammad Matar Abdo who were in a taxi in a high security area southwest of Gaza City.

Abdul-Rahim al-Ashi, was an economics editor for the Hamas-affiliated daily Palestine, and Mohammad Matar Abdo was responsible for the paper’s distribution.