OSCE Representative condemns the killing of journalist Zachary Stoner in the United States, calls for a thorough investigation

VIENNA, 6 June 2018 - The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Harlem Désir, today condemned the killing of journalist and videographer (or vlogger) Zachary Stoner, who was fatally shot on 30 May in Chicago, United States. Stoner published videos on his YouTube page called “zacktv1”, which has 170,000 videos and more than 180,000 subscribers. Stoner’s videos focused on the realities of life in his community and hip hop artists in Chicago.
“I am saddened by the murder of Zachary Stoner in Chicago. I urge the authorities to conduct a thorough and speedy investigation into his killing. This should include an investigation into whether his journalistic work was a reason for his murder,” Désir said. “Journalism is a far-reaching and multifaceted profession; it allows people to engage on sensitive and challenging experiences in society.”
Stoner was shot in the neck and head whilst he was driving along Clark Street in the South Loop neighbourhood of Chicago. He was taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital in critical condition, but was declared dead at 4:20am on 30 May.
The journalist had apparently received threats for his coverage of the death of a teenage girl, Kenneka Jenkins, in September 2017. Such threats, as well as the fact that his house had been broken into and his equipment had been stolen, made him decide against posting interviews related to the case until about two months after the threats.
The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media observes media developments in all 57 OSCE participating States. He provides early warning on violations of freedom of expression and media freedom and promotes full compliance with OSCE media freedom commitments. Learn more at www.osce.org/fom, twitter @OSCE_RFoM and on www.facebook.com/osce.rfom.