UNESCO repudiates the violence against journalists during the attacks in Brasilia on 8 January 2023

Due to the violent attacks that took place in Brasília (DF, Brazil) on Sunday, 8 January 2023, when demonstrators invaded the public buildings of the Three Powers, vandalized works and national cultural heritage and committed aggression and intimidation actions against journalists, the Representation of UNESCO in Brazil highlights that:

1. Information is a public good. It is unacceptable that journalists' safety, especially when exercising their profession, is threatened under any pretext in a democracy such as in Brazil. Freedom of the press is inherent to the democratic rule of law, which cannot tolerate attacks against journalists such as those registered in the federal capital.
2. As the lead agency of the United Nations System to promote the free flow of ideas through words and images, the safety of journalists and combating impunity for this type of crime, UNESCO advocates that a free press be respected. Furthermore, law enforcement agencies must urgently adopt a firm position in the face of what happened so that acts of aggression do not go unpunished.
3. It is worth remembering that UNESCO coordinates and implements the United Nations Plan of Action on the Safety of Journalists and the Issue of Impunity. By promoting a culture of peace as the central axis of its mandate, UNESCO reaffirms its commitment to respect for diversity, the plurality of opinions, dialogue and respect for professional media. In this way, guaranteeing the safety of journalists and independent journalism should not be a concern of the profession alone: it is a necessary precaution for society as a whole.