The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) today condemned the killing of Somali journalist Hassan Kafi Hared who died in a mine explosion that also killed two aid workers and their driver. His death followed reports that another journalist has been beaten for “biased and provocative” broadcasts.
“We are saddened by the death of Hassan Kafi Hared and express our solidarity with his wife and his three children,” said Gabriel Baglo, Director of the IFJ Africa office. “The local authorities and the Transitional Government must conduct thorough investigations into this death and all attacks on journalists and bring the perpetrators to justice.”
Hared died today after a remote-controlled mine exploded on a road in Siyad, a village in Kismayu in Southern Somalia, destroying a vehicle carrying two aid-workers from Médecins Sans Frontières-Holland and their driver. Hared was passing at the time of the blast and was killed along with the vehicle’s occupants. Sources say the humanitarian organization staffs were targeted.
According to the National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ), Hared, who was working with the Somali National News Agency and the website Gedonet.com, was on his way to a press conference in Kismayu.
On Saturday, Abdihakim Yusuf Moalim, a journalist with the Somali Broadcasting Corporation (SBC), a private radio station in Bossasso, a town in the Puntland region, was violently beaten by a security guard for Puntland’s Deputy Minister of Security Ibrahim Artan. The minister also slapped the journalist and accused him and his radio of broadcasting “biased and provocative” reports.
After the beating the journalist was briefly detained by the security guards. He was attacked while covering a meeting between Puntland officials and local communities in Bossasso.
For further information contact the IFJ: +221 33 842 01 43
The IFJ represents over 600,000 journalists in 120 countries
“We are saddened by the death of Hassan Kafi Hared and express our solidarity with his wife and his three children,” said Gabriel Baglo, Director of the IFJ Africa office. “The local authorities and the Transitional Government must conduct thorough investigations into this death and all attacks on journalists and bring the perpetrators to justice.”
Hared died today after a remote-controlled mine exploded on a road in Siyad, a village in Kismayu in Southern Somalia, destroying a vehicle carrying two aid-workers from Médecins Sans Frontières-Holland and their driver. Hared was passing at the time of the blast and was killed along with the vehicle’s occupants. Sources say the humanitarian organization staffs were targeted.
According to the National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ), Hared, who was working with the Somali National News Agency and the website Gedonet.com, was on his way to a press conference in Kismayu.
On Saturday, Abdihakim Yusuf Moalim, a journalist with the Somali Broadcasting Corporation (SBC), a private radio station in Bossasso, a town in the Puntland region, was violently beaten by a security guard for Puntland’s Deputy Minister of Security Ibrahim Artan. The minister also slapped the journalist and accused him and his radio of broadcasting “biased and provocative” reports.
After the beating the journalist was briefly detained by the security guards. He was attacked while covering a meeting between Puntland officials and local communities in Bossasso.
For further information contact the IFJ: +221 33 842 01 43
The IFJ represents over 600,000 journalists in 120 countries