Radio journalist stabbed to death in Somalia

 JournalismPakistan.com |  Published 7 years ago

BRUSSELS - Journalist Abdirisak Sa’id Osman, a radio reporter working for privately owned Radio Voice of Peace in the Somali city of Galkayo, was stabbed to death on Tuesday 18 September after he left his workplace.

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) joins its Somali affiliate, the National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ), in condemning this terrible crime and demanding Somali authorities to investigate it and ensure justice is done to Osman.

According to NUSOJ’s statement, Sa’id Osman was slashed in the back and heart when he was leaving the radio station. After the attack, a passer-by saw the journalist lying unconscious on the ground and rushed him quickly to Mudug Regional Hospital. Radio Voice of Peace Chief Editor Ahmed Mohamed Ali said that Osman underwent an emergency operation but sadly passed away a few minutes afterwards.

The killing followed Osman’s reporting on the insecurity of Galkayo city due to the activities of jihadist group Al-Shabaab and NUSOJ believes that Omar’s reporting was the motive behind the crime.

The killing of Abdirisak Sa’id Osman, aged 30, is the second murder of a journalist in Somalia this year after Abdirisaq Qasim Iman, a TV cameraman, was shot dead by a police officer on July 27.

The IFJ and the NUSOJ submitted a joint statement to the UN’s Human Rights Council to draw the attention of international community to the systematic human rights’ violations and attacks to freedom of expression in Somalia.

“Each year, journalists in Galkayo are assaulted, threatened, abused and harassed, most often for doing their job. Puntland authorities must ensure that the killers are arrested and prosecuted as soon as possible,” has said Omar Faruk Osman, NUSOJ Secretary General.

The IFJ General Secretary, Anthony Belanger, has said: “We are saddened by yet another killing of a journalist in Somalia. The IFJ condemns the unrelenting deadly attacks on journalists in Somalia and urges authorities to ensure justice in this and previous killings targeting journalists. We also send condolences and solidarity to Omar’s family, colleagues and friends.” – IFJ media release