Brazilian radio journalist killed on air

A Brazilian radio announcer known for criticizing local politicians was shot dead by two gunmen while broadcasting a live  program in the town of Camocim, in the northeastern state of Ceara.

Gleydson Carvalho was shot five times Aug. 7 by men who burst into the Radio Libertade studio during Carvalho’s regular midday slot, news outlets including Agence France-Presse reported.  A sound engineer who was present at the time of the shooting was unarmed, and the two men fled the scene on motorbike, the news agency said, citing police.

Two men have been arrested in the case but the suspected gunman is still at large, the New York Times said.

Radio presenter #GleydsonCarvalho killed in Brazil while on air http://t.co/Vg3pnL3ab2 pic.twitter.com/Wi87qd9vcM

— Sputnik (@SputnikInt) August 7, 2015

Carvalho is the fourth journalist to be killed in Brazil this year because of their work. Radio journalist Djalma Santos da Conceição and blogger Evany José Metzker were killed in a one-week period in May.

“Violence against the press in Brazil had already reached unacceptable levels. Now we are stunned by the brazen murder of Gleydson Carvalho in the middle of his radio show,” said Sara Rafsky, a research associate for the Committee to Protect Journalists. “Authorities must take action to combat a press freedom crisis that is violating the right of all Brazilians to be informed, not to mention ending journalists' lives.”

Brazil is the third most dangerous country in Latin America for journalists, following Mexico and Honduras, with 38 journalists killed between 2000 and 2014, according to the nonprofit group Reporters Without Borders.