Paris, 30 January 2023 — UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay, has called for a thorough and transparent investigation into the death of journalist John Williams Ntwali on 18 January in the Rwandan capital Kigali.

“I deplore the death of John Williams Ntwali,” said the Director-General. “I call on the authorities to initiate a full and transparent investigation into this case to fully account for the circumstances of his death.”

Ntwali, editor of online news site The Chronicle, was killed when the motorcycle he was riding was hit by a car, according to police reports. One of Rwanda’s leading investigative journalists, Ntwali was also the founder of the Pax TV – IREME NEWS YouTube channel.

UNESCO promotes the safety of journalists through global awareness-raising, capacity building and by coordinating the implementation of the UN Plan of Action on the Safety of Journalists and the Issue of Impunity.

Press contact.

Clare O’Hagan, c.o-hagan@unesco.org, +33145681729