Unesco Condemns Slayings of Journalists In Philippines, Cambodia

In September that number increased to five, and the Director-General of UNESCO Irina Bokova has called for an investigation into his death. The journalist, a radio broadcaster named Eddie Jesus Apostol, was found dead on September 1st, near the town of Sultan sa Barongis in the center of the country.  Apostol’s weekly radio show often touched on issues important to native Filipinos, UNESCO said.

According to UNESCO, 48 journalists have been killed in the Philippines since 2008.

“It is important that the authorities conduct a serious investigation into this killing and ensure that the perpetrators are punished for their crime,” said Bokova in a statement.

Both Bokova and Reporters Without Borders have also condemned the death of Cambodian journalist Hang Serei Oudom, and called for an investigation into his death

“I am deeply concerned by the killing of Hang Serei Oudom,”said Bokova in a statement.

“This is the first murder of a journalist in Cambodia in a long time and I trust that the Cambodian authorities will do all in their power to bring those responsible for this crime to justice.” 

“Crimes against media personnel must be brought to justice to prevent a climate of fear,” Bokova added.  

Oudom’s body was found on September 12 in the trunk of car in the northeastern province of Ratanakiri, Reporters Without Borders said. Odoum was an environmental journalist, and told his friends a few days prior to his disappearance that he was concerned for his safety. His articles often covered the trafficking of luxury wood and illegal logging practices. Environmentalists in Cambodia are often targeted by the people they are trying to expose, RWP said.

In 2012, RWP ranked Cambodia 117th  and the Philippines 140th  for press freedom out of 179 countries.