1 September 2004 – United Nations officials today strongly condemned the hostage-taking of hundreds of people, including many children, at a school in southern Russia, with Secretary-General Kofi Annan calling for their immediate release and an end to "this criminal act directed against the most vulnerable members of society." In a statement released by his spokesman in New York, Mr. Annan said he was "appalled" to learn that more than a hundred pupils were being held hostage at a secondary school in Beslan, Russian Federation, in an attack that has already resulted in deaths. "He calls for the immediate release of the children, their parents and teachers, and condemns in the strongest terms this criminal act directed against the most vulnerable members of society," the statement added. Also appealing for the immediate and unconditional release of the youngsters, UN Children''s Fund (UNICEF) Executive Director Carol Bellamy said their safety should be the paramount concern of all parties involved. "Children must never be used for political purposes, and schools must never be degraded to places of violence," she added. "They must be preserved as safe havens for children to learn and play. If we don''t respect the sanctity of childhood, then we have nothing."