The Secretary-General was shocked and saddened to receive the news of the brutal killing of Mr. Serge Meheshe, a respected national radio journalist at Radio Okapi in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The Secretary-General extends his condolences to Mr. Meheshe's family, to his colleagues in MONUC's Radio Okapi and to its partner, Fondation Hirondelle.

The free flow of information and ideas and the freedom of expression are the lifeblood of democracy. Mr. Meheshe's death is a great loss for the UN and the people of the DRC as they continue their efforts to build a sustainable peace in their country. The United Nations will do everything possible to support the authorities of the DRC to identify the perpetrators of this crime and bring them to justice.