DIRECTOR-GENERAL CONDEMNS MURDER OF DANIEL PEARL

Paris, February 22 - UNESCO Director-General Koïchiro Mastuura today condemned the murder of American journalist Daniel Pearl in Pakistan as "a shocking act of barbarism".

"The murder of Daniel Pearl is a shocking act of barbarism," Mr Matsuura said. "While murder is in and of itself never acceptable, this gruesome crime is especially repugnant in view of the motives that appear to have driven its perpetrators: the fact that Daniel Pearl was an investigative reporter seeking to shed light on an important story of international concern, the fact that he was a U.S. citizen and the fact that he was a Jew."

The Director-General welcomed the Pakistani authorities pledge to pursue and punish the killers of the Wall Street Journal reporter, recalling UNESCO's commitment to defend the freedom of journalists to exercise their profession safely.

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