Director-General of UNESCO Audrey Azoulay called on authorities to investigate the killings of journalists Roman Nezhyborets and Zoreslav Zamoysky, whose bodies were discovered earlier this month in the Ukranian cities of Yahidne and Bucha.

"The importance of reporters’ work informing local populations and the world of events on the ground in times of war cannot be overstated and their safety must be respected, in line with international law and the Geneva Conventions," said Azoulay.

Russia is currently being investigated for war crimes over its treatment of civilians in its unprovoked war on Ukraine.

Also: Scott Pelley, Bill Whitaker Weigh in on Ukraine

According to the UNESCO, Nezhyborets was a video technician for TV broadcaster Dytynets while Zamoysky was a freelancer for various local news outlets, covering the war from his Facebook page.

The Committee to Protect Journalists cited a Facebook post by Nezhyborets April 6 that her brother was attempting to hide evidence of his work as a journalists when he was caught and taken away by Russian forces in March. He was later found in a shallow grave with gunshot wounds to his knees and his hands tied.

Zamoysky’s body was found on a Bucha street by Ukrainians after Russian forces withdrew, CPJ said.

Also: Advertisers Increasingly Cut Russia Media Spend

“We are profoundly saddened by the deaths of journalists Roman Nezhyborets and Zoreslav Zamoysky in Ukraine, and call on Ukrainian authorities to promptly investigate and determine whether they were killed in retaliation for their work,” said Gulnoza Said, CPJ’s Europe and Central Asia program coordinator, in a statement.

According to CPJ, it has confirmed that at least seven journalists have died covering the war in Ukraine, not including Zamoysky and Nezhyborets given that CPJ is still investigating whether they were killed because of their work as journalists. ■

The UN and other human rights organizations says that during the coronavirus pandemic, it is crucial that governments provide accurate information about the nature of the threat, and that the internet is free to relay that information. 

That came in a joint statement from the United Nations, the Inter-American Commission for Human Rights, and the Representative on Freedom of the Media of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe. 

"[G]overnments should, as a matter of priority, ensure immediate access to the fastest and broadest possible internet service," they said.  

ISPs in the U.S. have been boosting speeds and offering free service in service of that goal, with the encouragement of the FCC.  

Related: ISPs Take FCC Connectivity Pledge 

While South Africa has criminalized disinformation about the virus, the UN and others had a word of caution (the Committee to Protect Journalists calls that a slippery slope, though likely legally sustainable). 

The organizations also weighed in on providing faster broadband and avoiding privacy violations when using new tech to track the spread of the disease, an issue that has concerned U.S. legislators.

The organizations urged the following: 

“First, it is essential that governments provide truthful information about the nature of the threat posed by the coronavirus. Governments everywhere are obligated under human rights law to provide reliable information in accessible formats to all, with particular focus on ensuring access to information by those with limited internet access or where disability makes access challenging.

“Second, internet access is critical at a time of crisis. It is essential that governments refrain from blocking internet access; in those situations where internet has been blocked, governments should, as a matter of priority, ensure immediate access to the fastest and broadest possible internet service. Especially at a time of emergency, when access to information is of critical importance, broad restrictions on access to the internet cannot be justified on public order or national security grounds. 

“Third, the right of access to information means that governments must be making exceptional efforts to protect the work of journalists. Journalism serves a crucial function at a moment of public health emergency, particularly when it aims to inform the public of critical information and monitors government actions. We urge all governments to robustly implement their freedom of information laws to ensure that all individuals, especially journalists, have access to information. 

“Fourth, we share the concern that false information about the pandemic could lead to health concerns, panic and disorder. In this connection, it is essential that governments and internet companies address disinformation in the first instance by themselves providing reliable information. That may come in the form of robust public messaging, support for public service announcements, and emergency support for public broadcasting and local journalism (for instance, through government health advertisements). 

Resorting to other measures, such as content take-downs and censorship, may result in limiting access to important information for public health and should only be undertaken where they meet the standards of necessity and proportionality. Any attempts to criminalize information relating to the pandemic may create distrust in institutional information, delay access to reliable information and have a chilling effect on freedom of expression. 

“Fifth, we are aware of growing use of tools of surveillance technology to track the spread of the coronavirus. While we understand and support the need for active efforts to confront the pandemic, it is also crucial that such tools be limited in use, both in terms of purpose and time, and that individual rights to privacy, non-discrimination, the protection of journalistic sources and other freedoms be rigorously protected. States must also protect the personal information of patients. We strongly urge that any use of such technology abide by the strictest protections and only be available according to domestic law that is consistent with international human rights standards."

The U.S. ranked 19th in the world in terms of people online at 84,2%, according to the latest UN Broadband Commission report on worldwide access.

According to the report, over 50% of the world's population will have access to broadband by 2017. There are now 77 countries with over 50% of the population online, up from 70 in 2013.

Tops in people online -- the percentage of individuals who use the Internet -- is Iceland at 96.5%, followed by Norway, Sweden and Denmark,

The U.S. has dropped from 20th to 24th place in fixed broadband subscriptions per capita, according to the report.

Critics of U.S. broadband companies frequently point to the UN figures to make their point that the U.S. is not a world leader, but defenders point out that most of those ahead of the U.S. are small or self-contained countries where it is easier to drive high penetration and use.

“The U.S. has a different facilities-based competition broadband model than most countries of the world. It is designed for, and very successful in, encouraging private investment (over $1.2 trillion cumulatively), and in encouraging innovation by letting users decide and choose what technologies and services they actually need and want rather than government deciding many years in advance what users should want,” said Scott Cleland Chairman of NetCompetition. “The U.S. is playing a different broadband game, market-driven not government driven, so the measures of success – private investment, facility-choice, innovation, and consumer choice -- are naturally different.”   

NetCompetition members include the National Cable & Telecommunications Association, AT&T and Verizon.

The report was released Monday at the tenth annual meeting of the Broadband Commission for digital Development, whose members include former FCC chairman Julius Genachowski, now with the Carlyle Group.

Genachowski was chairman when the FCC produced the nation's first National Broadband Plan back in 2010. The report says that 140 countries have such plans, and 13 more have plans in the works.