Statement from EBU President following attack on French magazine Charlie Hebdo

On behalf of all European public service television and radio organizations,  Jean-Paul Philippot, President of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), expressed his profound horror, total disgust and enormous sadness at the news of the lethal shooting at the headquarters of the French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo in Paris.  Emphasizing that freedom of expression, a fundamental democratic value, had been violated in the most cruel way, the president of the EBU condemned the attack in the strongest terms, expressing support for the victims, their families and colleagues.

The European Broadcasting Union calls for the defence of the media, as they are the guarantors of diversity and tolerance, and pillars of a free and democratic society.