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The Director-General of UNESCO, Irina Bokova, called for an investigation into the killing of Paraguayan press photographer Carlos Artaza who was shot dead on 24 April.

“I condemn the murder of Carlos Artaza,” the Director-General said. “I trust the authorities will investigate this crime and bring its culprits to justice. As we celebrate Press Freedom Day on 3 May, countries around the world must take action against such violence which does not only harm its victims, but also undermines the basic human right of freedom of expression and societies’ right to benefit from a free and independent press.”

Carlos Artaza, 43, was shot by men on a motorcycle in Pedro Juan Caballero, the capital of Amambay department. He was attacked while driving back from a demonstration celebrating the election of a new governor for Amambay. Artaza was a photographer for the Governor’s press office.

Artaza is the second journalist to be killed in Paraguay this year. Both are remembered in the dedicated webpage, 

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Media contact: Sylvie Coudray, s.coudray(at)unesco.org,  +33 (0)1 45 68 42 12

UNESCO is the United Nations agency with a mandate to defend freedom of expression and press freedom. Article 1 of its Constitution requires the Organization to “further universal respect for justice, for the rule of law and for the human rights and fundamental freedoms which are affirmed for the peoples of the world, without distinction of race, sex, language or religion, by the Charter of the United Nations.” To realize this the Organization is requested to “collaborate in the work of advancing the mutual knowledge and understanding of peoples, through all means of mass communication and to that end recommend such international agreements as may be necessary to promote the free flow of ideas by word and image…”