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UNESCO chief denounces murder of Honduran journalists

Stop killing journalists.
UNESCO
Stop killing journalists.

UNESCO chief denounces murder of Honduran journalists

The Director-General of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), Irina Bokova, today denounced the killing of three journalists in Honduras, reiterating that crimes against media workers cannot be allowed to go unpunished.

“I condemn the killing of Jacobo Montoya Ramírez, Juan Carlos Cruz Andara and Joel Aquiles Torres,” Ms. Bokova said. “Using violence to silence journalists cannot be tolerated because it is also an attack on society as a whole. I call on the authorities to end impunity for crimes against journalists and ensure that their perpetrators are brought to justice.”

Juan Carlos Cruz Andara, a reporter with the TV broadcaster Teleport, was found stabbed to death in his home in the northern city of Puerto Cortés on 23 June, approximately five months after reporting to the police that he had received a death threat.

Broadcast journalist Jacobo Montoya Ramírez was gunned down in his home in the western town of Copán Ruinas on 25 June.

Joel Aquiles Torres, owner of local TV station Canal 67, was shot dead while driving his car in Taulabe in the department of Comayagua, on 3 of July.

The Director-General of UNESCO issues statements on the killing of media workers in line with Resolution 29 adopted by UNESCO Member States at the Organization's General Conference of 1997, entitled “Condemnation of Violence against Journalists.” These statements are posted on a dedicated webpage, UNESCO condemns the killing of journalists.