UNESCO Director-General condemns killings of Somali radio director Abukar Hassan Mohamoud and journalist Ali Ahmed Abdi

“I condemn the murders of Abukar Hassan Mohamoud and Ali Ahmed Abdi,” the Director-General said. “I am deeply concerned to see that so many Somali journalists and media workers are dying for exercising the fundamental human right of freedom of expression and their professional obligation to inform the public. Letting such murders go unpunished only encourages their perpetrators to continue using violence to repress debate,” concluded Ms Bokova.

Abukar Hassan Mohamoud, 43, also known as Kadaf, was shot dead by two armed men in his home on 28 February in Mogadishu. As the director of Radio Somaliweyn, he had started working just a few days earlier on re-launching broadcasts of the radio station, which had been attacked and looted by an armed group in 2010. The radio has only been operating online since then.

Ali Ahmed Abdi, a reporter for Radio Galkayo, was shot dead by unidentified gunmen in the north-central city of Galkayo on 4 March. Mr Abdi, who was in his mid-twenties, also worked as an online journalist.

Sixteen Somali journalists and media workers, including Abukar Hassan Mohamoud and Ali Ahmed Abdi, have been listed on UNESCO’s dedicated webpage, UNESCO Remembers Assassinated Journalists since 2008.

In 2011, UNESCO provided equipment and training on safety issues, conflict-sensitive journalism and humanitarian reporting to more than 40 media professionals in Somalia. The purpose of this assistance was to enhance the quality and flow of humanitarian information in the country and neighbouring refugee camps. In 2010, UNESCO, in collaboration with Radio Netherlands Training Centre (RNTC), provided training to 20 Somali community radio journalists, helping them improve their ability to work in an environment marked by conflict.

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