July 15, 10

NEWS / UNESCO chief voices concern at death of Indian journalist

15 July 2010 – The head of the United Nations agency tasked with defending press freedom today voiced concern over the death of Indian journalist Hem Chandra Pandey, who was killed earlier this month along with a Maoist leader in an encounter with police in the southern state of Andhra Pradesh.

“I am concerned about the circumstances in which Hem Chandra Pandey was killed and I urge the authorities to shed full light on the conditions under which it occurred,” said Irina Bokova, Director-General of the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

Mr. Pandey, 30, was a freelance journalist who worked for several Hindi-language dailies, according to the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), which noted that he also wrote under the name Hemant Pandey.

He was killed in an incident that reportedly took place on 2 July along with Cherukuri Rajkumar, alias Azad, a leader of the Maoists who have been involved in confrontations with Indian security forces, said the IFJ.

http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=35329&Cr=UNESCO&Cr1=JOURNALIST