Unesco-Obiang prize 'shameful'

New York, 17 Jul – (ANA) - Human rights groups have denounced plans by a UN agency to award a science prize sponsored by Equatorial Guinea President Teodor Obiang Nguema. The groups said such move by the UN scientific and cultural agency (Unesco) would be "irresponsible" and "shameful". Unesco is expected to award the $3m (£1.9m) prize fund in Paris today. Mr Obiang is accused of rights abuses, rigging elections and corruption. The West African leader denies the charges. In a statement on Monday, seven rights groups - including Human Rights Watch - criticised Unesco's plans to go ahead with the award ceremony in the French capita. "It is shameful and utterly irresponsible for Unesco to award this prize, given the litany of serious legal and ethical problems surrounding it," said Tutu Alicante, director of EG Justice - another signatory of the statement. "Beyond letting itself be used to polish the sullied image of Obiang, Unesco also risks ruining its own credibility," he added. The award was first approved as the "Unesco-Obiang prize" by the UN agency in 2008, and oil-rich Equatorial Guinea was to finance it for five years.

But Mr Obiang's name was dropped in March following outrage by human rights groups and African intellectuals and writers. (ANA)

FA/ANA/17 July 2012---------