London, Jun 19 (PTI) UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay today condemned the killing of senior journalist Shujaat Bukhari and hoped that the authorities will spare no effort in seeking and prosecuting his killers.

Bukhari, the editor-in-chief of the daily 'Rising Kashmir', was shot dead outside his office in Srinagar on June 14. Two police officers provided to him as personal bodyguards were also killed in the attack. The government has blamed militants based in Kashmir for the killings.

"I condemn the murder of Shujaat Bukhari and his bodyguards," Azoulay said in a statement.

"I trust the authorities will spare no effort in seeking and prosecuting the killers who were undeterred by the presence of police in their determination to silence a journalist known as a voice of moderation," the official said.

United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural organization or UNESCO promotes the safety of journalists through global awareness-raising, capacity-building and a range of actions, notably the UN Plan of Action on the Safety of Journalists and the Issue of Impunity, the statement added.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)