02 Mar 12 | Africa, Index Index, minipost
A radio journalist has been shot dead by two unidentified men in Somalia. Abukar Hassan Mohamoud, nicknamed Kadaf, was the manager of Mogadishu-based radio Somaliweyn. Mohamoud was shot five times in the head and chest at his home in Mogadishu on 28 February. Mohamoud, who had been trying to relaunch the radio station which had been shut down by an extremist group in May 2010, died from his injuries in hospital soon after the attack.
31 Jan 12 | Africa, Index Index, minipost
The director of a media group has become the first journalist to be killed in Somalia in 2012. Shabelle Media Network director Hassan Osman Abdi was shot outside his home in Mogadishu at 6.30pm on Saturday. Five gunmen shot the father of three in the head and chest as he returned from work. The shooting is believed to be connected to the network’s recent radio coverage of government corruption. Abdi is the first journalist to be killed in 2012 in Somalia, and the third Shabelle Media Network director to be murdered, following Bashir Nur Gedi in 2007 and Mukhtar Mohamed Hirabe in 2009.
17 Jan 12 | Africa, Index Index, minipost
21 journalists were detained by security forces in Somalia over the weekend, following demonstrations against ongoing media crackdowns. Police stormed the main headquarters of HornCable TV and two production studios of the television network, in the capital town Hargeisa on Saturday. The following day, at a peaceful protest organised by the journalists, the presidential guard attacked protesters, and arrested 18 staff members from HornCable TV. Police hunted down other journalists who took part in the protest and arrested them. All 21 detained journalists were released yesterday.
20 Dec 11 | Africa, Index Index, minipost
A Somali journalist was shot dead by a man wearing a government soldier’s uniform on Sunday in Mogadishu. Abdisalan Sheikh Hasan from Horn Cable TV channel was shot after a government soldier in uniform with an AK47 ordered Hasan and his colleague Zakariye Abdulahi to stop their car. Abdulahi said that without any further questions, the soldier opened fire on Hasan. The TV journalist, who had been receiving death threats, later died in theatre from injuries to his shoulder and stomach.
