MOSCOW, October 9. /TASS/. Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova has pointed to the criminal silence of UNESCO and its Director General Audrey Azoulay on the deaths of journalists in the Middle East.

"As for the Middle East, this is an unprecedented drama in terms of the number of journalists killed while performing their professional duty. Not only that, all of this occurs without any comment. I'm not just talking about measures or steps, but even comments from the specialized bodies," the diplomat said at a briefing. "UNESCO is criminally silent, as if its Director General Audrey Azoulay had a mouthful of water," she added.

"This is a shameful phenomenon to which the international community should protest and express its distrust," Zakharova stated. "One of UNESCO's central mandates is related to the protection and safety of journalists, as well as the protection of freedom of expression.".