UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay has condemned the murder of journalist Benjamín Morales Hernández in Mexico's northwestern state of Sonora, where his body was found on 3 May, World Press Freedom Day.
I condemn the murder of Benjamín Morales Hernández. I call on the Mexican authorities to investigate and prosecute this crime to the full extent of the law. Journalists must be able to carry out their critical work of informing the public without fearing for their lives. Crimes against the media pose a threat to freedom of expression for the whole of society and must not be allowed to go unpunished.
Audrey Azoulay, UNESCO Director-General
Unidentified assailants hijacked Morales, founder and director of local news media Noticias Xonoidag, in his car near his home on the evening of 2 May, after he reported having received threats to his life. His body was found on 3 May with multiple gunshot wounds.
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
