Italy urged to draw up race reporting code

The United Nations has urged Italy's press to adopt an ethical code against racist reporting after a Tunisian immigrant was wrongly accused by newspapers of murdering his family. The UN High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) has asked a group of academics, communications experts and journalists to draw up guidelines on how to report on issues regarding immigration and asylum seekers. Some of Italy's main dailies issued apologies last month after it emerged that Azouz Marzouk - whom they had accused of slitting the throats of his wife, son and mother-in-law - had been in Tunisia at the time of their deaths. According to the UNHCR, the false story led to hostility against "the ruthless Arab". The victims' neighbours have since confessed to the murders. (Via Melbourne Herald Sun)