7 Jan 2015 16:36

Russian journalists express sympathy over attack at French magazine office

MOSCOW. Jan 7 (Interfax) - The Union of Journalists of Russia (UJR) has expressed its condolences over a terrorist attack at the Paris office of the Charlie Hebdo magazine, which killed 12 people.

"We certainly sympathize with our colleagues who were injured as a result of this horrendous crime committed today. This is a magazine with a big history and a good reputation," UJR chief Vsevolod Bogdanov told Interfax on Wednesday.

The UJR has already issued a statement of support, which was also sent to Paris, he said. "We demand an immediate and thorough inquiry into this tragedy," Bogdanov said.

An atmosphere of intolerance where people are not prepared to accept each other and each other's views and positions is absolutely unacceptable, he said

"It is a real crime to despise someone's right to believe in something," Bogdanov said.

It was reported that on Wednesday morning gunmen opened fire at the office building of the satirical weekly magazine Charlie Hebdo in central Paris. According to the latest figures, the death toll has soared to 12. The attackers fled.