Paris: Unesco Director-General Irina Bokova on Friday condemned the murder of Paraguayan journalist Pablo Medina Velazquez and his assistant Antonia Maribel Almada Chamorro, who were shot dead Oct 16 near Curuguaty in southeastern Paraguay.

In a statement, Bokova called for the prosecution of those responsible for the murders, in order to prevent future acts of this kind, which cost the lives of journalists and violate the right to access information.

Medina Velazquez, who worked for the ABC Colour newspaper, was investigating marijuana trafficking and had received many death threats, Bokova said.

Police had given him protection but was not accompanying him at the time of the murder.