Al Fashir, Audrey Azoulay, UNESCO’s Director-General, has issued a strong condemnation of the murder of Khaled Balel, a prominent Sudanese journalist, in his El Fasher home, calling for decisive action to bring the culprits to justice.
According to United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, the attack on Balel, a media director at the Sudanese Supreme Council for Media and Culture and a member of the Sudanese Journalists Syndicate, occurred on March 1, 2024. Azoulay’s statement emphasized the importance of journalists in conflict zones, noting their critical role in disseminating information and insisted on the necessity of safeguarding their lives. She advocated for an exhaustive inquiry to identify and prosecute those behind Balel’s killing, underlining the broader commitment of UNESCO to fortify journalist safety globally through education, capacity enhancement, and enforcement of the UN’s action plan against impunity for crimes against media personnel.