Court sentences man in murders of five Somali journalists

 JournalismPakistan.com |  Published March 05, 2016

NEW YORK - A military court in Mogadishu has found Hassan Hanafi, a former journalist, guilty of direct or indirect involvement in the killing five journalists on behalf of the armed militant group Al-Shabaab, according to news reports. The court sentenced him to death by execution, which in Somalia is usually carried out by firing squad.

"Impunity in the murders of Somali journalists has long perpetuated a cycle of violence and fear, severely limiting the freedom of the press," said Committee to Protect Journalists-Africa Research Associate Kerry Paterson. "While we support efforts to combat impunity, we call on Somali authorities to deliver justice through fair and transparent trials and by handing down humane sentences."

According to press reports, the military court found Hanafi guilty of being either partly or directly responsible for the killings of Mahad Ahmed Elmi, director of Capital Voice radio, a private station run by HornAfrik Media; Ali Iimaan Sharmarke, the founder and co-owner of HornAfrik Media; Said Tahliil Ahmed, director of HornAfrik for TV and radio stations; Mukhtar Mohamed Hirabe, a reporter for Radio Shabelle; and Radio Mogadishu reporter Sheikh Nur Mohamed Abkey, the only murder to which Hanafi confessed. The murders spanned the years 2007-2010.

All five victims are listed in CPJ's database of journalists murdered in direct retaliation for their work.

Hanafi himself had worked as a radio reporter at Holy Quran Radio, and after joining Al-Shabaab, had been a reporter for Radio Andalus, a mouthpiece for the militant group, before joining its armed wing, according to reports. He would regularly call Somali journalists to threaten them with death if they refused to join the militant group, according to press accounts.

Somalia ranks at the top of CPJ's Global Impunity Index, which spotlights countries where journalists are murdered regularly and their killers go unpunished. CPJ has documented the murders of 41 journalists in Somalia since 1992.

In 2014 Human Rights Watch published a report on Somali military courts, indicating that they routinely fail to meet international fair-trial standards. - Committee to Protect Journalists

Even a win can't hide Pakistan's structural collapse in cricket

 June 11, 2025:  Pakistan celebrated a narrow win over Bangladesh, but beneath the jubilation lies a deeper crisis—from sidelined veterans to a collapsing domestic structure—signaling an urgent need for cricket reform.

Journalists stage walkout at post-budget briefing over government's dismissive attitude

 June 11, 2025:  Journalists walked out of the post-budget press conference in Islamabad to protest the absence of a technical briefing and the government's dismissive behavior, calling it unacceptable and intolerable.

Legal storm brews as Dr. Nauman Niaz serves defamation notice on Shoaib Akhtar

 May 31, 2025:  Dr. Nauman Niaz has issued a defamation notice to Shoaib Akhtar over derogatory remarks made during a recent broadcast, reigniting a longstanding media feud between the two prominent figures in Pakistan.

HRCP urges complete repeal of PECA, citing threats to free speech and civil liberties

 May 30, 2025:  The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan has demanded the full repeal of PECA, citing its vague language, coercive powers, and threats to free speech and digital rights in Pakistan.

PFUJ condemns murder of journalist Syed Mohammad Shah, urges immediate justice

 May 30, 2025:  The Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) has condemned the murder of journalist Syed Mohammed Shah in Jacobabad, calling for urgent justice and improved safety for media professionals in Sindh.

State within a state? Police block reinstated Jang employees from resuming duties

 May 26, 2025:  In Rawalpindi, police allegedly side with Jang Group to block 66 reinstated employees from resuming work despite court orders, drawing sharp criticism from unions and press freedom advocates.

PFUJ slams Jang Group's 'economic massacre' after mass firing of over 80 workers

 May 25, 2025:  PFUJ condemns the Jang Group's decision to dismiss over 80 employees in Rawalpindi, calling it an 'economic massacre.' The union warns of nationwide protests if workers are not reinstated.

Labor rights trampled: Daily Jang defies court, terminates over 80 employees

 May 25, 2025:  Daily Jang Rawalpindi has terminated over 80 employees, including female staff, despite multiple court rulings in their favor—raising concerns over labor rights violations and misuse of authority in Pakistani media.