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Baghdad, 1 September 2015 – The Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General for Iraq (SRSG) Ján Kubiš and UNESCO Representative to Iraq Axel Plathe are deeply concerned about the safety of journalists in Nineveh Governorate. The recent assassination of media workers and the increased acts of intimidation, harassment and violence to which they are exposed, dramatically testify to the life threatening risks under which journalists work in the areas controlled by ISIS.

“We pay tribute to those who gave their lives in service of the public’s right to information”, stated SRSG Kubis and UNESCO Representative Plathe, and we condemn in the strongest terms any act of violence committed by ISIS against media workers, which only adds to the long list of abhorrent and intolerable violations of human rights the terrorist group perpetrates”, both also underlined.

“It is of the utmost importance to uphold the right of media to report independently, without interference and in safety”, Kubis and Plathe stressed, reminding that ”the life of journalists and media workers must be protected and the perpetrators of all kinds of crimes against them must face justice”.

Promoting the safety of journalists and combating impunity for those who attack them are central elements within the UN system’s support for the freedom of expression across all media platforms.