UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay has condemned the killing of online journalist Pedro Alfonso Guadrón Hernández in the town of Concepción Las Minas, in the south of Guatemala on 30 July.
I condemn the killing of Pedro Alfonso Guadrón Hernández. Violence against journalists constitutes a crippling threat to press freedom everywhere. I therefore urge the authorities to pursue their investigation, notably to establish whether the attack was connected to Guadrón Hernández's work as a journalist.
Audrey Azoulay, UNESCO Director-General
The journalist, whose local news reports on his Facebook page, Concepción Las Minas Mi Tierra, covered issues including corruption, drug trafficking, and protests against the government. Guadrón Hernández was shot outside his home and died shortly after in hospital. He had previously reported receiving threats to his life.
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
