United Nations, Aug 11 (IANS): The UN has expressed severe condemnation following the murder of a contender for the presidency in Ecuador, calling on the local law enforcement to launch a thorough probe into the incident.

As per media accounts, 59-year-old Fernando Villavicencio was tragically gunned down post his participation in a political rally in Quito, the nation's capital, on Wednesday evening.

This tragic event transpired a mere fortnight ahead of the scheduled August 20 election, in a backdrop filled with escalating criminal activities and unrest, Xinhua news agency reported on Thursday.

While addressing the media in New York, Farhan Haq, the UN Secretary-General's Deputy Spokesman, conveyed the sentiments of the UN Country Team. He emphasised the urgency of an inquiry, "so that the feeling of lawlessness is dispelled, and to amplify measures against the ongoing surge of unrest that is unfortunately impacting the entire nation".

Meanwhile, from Geneva, the UN's chief of human rights, Volker Turk, reflected on the depth of challenges both Ecuador as a nation and its citizens are grappling with due to the spiraling violence.

Turk accentuated the necessity for the state to escalate protective actions for political nominees, government officials, and media personnel.

He stressed the significance of safeguarding both the lives and dignity of individuals in alignment with global human rights benchmarks to prevent any recurrence of such heinous acts.