UNESCO chief condemns murder of Russian journalist

UNESCO's General Director Koichiro Matsuura on Tuesday condemned the murder of the Russia journalist Anna Politkovskaya and saluted her courage and determination in defending the freedom of expression.

"I condemn the murder of Anna Politkovskaya," Matsuura, head of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) said in a statement on Tuesday.

Matsuura added "her death is a great loss for her profession, her country and the international community in all."

"Anna Politkovskaya's courage and devotion to the job deserve global recognition," he said.

Anna Politkovskaya, the 48-year-old journalist who was critical of the Chechnya war, was shot dead in Moscow Saturday by an unidentified gunman in an apparent contract killing.

Source: Xinhua