IFJ Condemns Brutal Murder of Broadcaster in Somalia

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) today condemned the brutal assassination yesterday of Mahad Salad Adan, 22, a journalist for Radio Shabelle in Hiran region, who was shot dead by unidentified gunman in central Somalia.

“We are outraged by the violence which has been unleashed on media in Somalia recently, turning the country into a killing field of journalists,” said Gabriel Baglo, IFJ Africa Director. “We condemn the brutal murder of Mahad Salad Adan and call for strong action to stop senseless bloodbath in the country.”

According to the National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ), an IFJ affiliate, Mahad Salad Adan, was shot dead near his home in Beledweyn district, capital of Hiran region.
Adan reported earlier on an armed conflict between Al-Shabab forces and Ahlu Sunah Waljama, another Islamist movement, in Mahas district of Hiran region.

NUSOJ said that Adan had received death threats from Al-Shabaab in the past weeks since TFG forces captured Hiran with help of Ethiopian troops. 

 

His killing follows the deadly bomb attack on Wednesday at the Somali National Theatre building which killed eight people and left many more injured, including seven journalists. The Islamic group Al-Shabab claimed responsibility for the blast which went off at a ceremony to mark the first anniversary of the re-launch of the Somali public television.

 

NUSOJ condemned the brutal murder of Mahad Salad Adan. “The calculated killings of journalists in recent times highlights how journalists are denied, through the bullets, their fundamental human right to free expression,” said the Union.

 

NUSOJ General Secretary, Omar Faruk Osman, attended a regional conference on the safety and protection of journalists in the Middle East and Arab World which ended yesterday in Cairo, Egypt on the adoption of a Declaration calling for greater safety and justice for journalists in the region, including Somalia.

 

For more information, please contact IFJ on +221- 33 867 95 87
The IFJ represents more than 600.000 journalists in 134 countries