Africa: Somali Journalists Killed With Impunity

1 June 2011
allAfrica.com

Somalia is the world's second most murderous country for journalists, says the New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ).

In its annual "Impunity Index" - which identifies countries "where journalists are slain and killers go free" - the CPJ says there have been 10 unsolved murders of journalists in the last 10 years.

Nearly 60 journalists have fled the country, and those who have stayed "practice extreme self-censorship to survive."

Somalia has the worst impunity rating in Africa. Internationally, it ranks second only to Iraq.

Recording one of the unsolved murders, the CPJ reports that one of the victims was Sheikh Nur Mohamed Abkey, who was tortured and shot in May 2010.

"Al-Shabaab militants claimed responsibility for the murder of Abkey, one of the country's most senior journalists, in reprisal for his work at state-run Radio Mogadishu," says the CPJ.

Tagged:
Copyright © 2011 allAfrica.com. All rights reserved. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com). To contact the copyright holder directly for corrections — or for permission to republish or make other authorized use of this material, click here.

AllAfrica publishes around 400 reports a day from more than 100 news organizations and over 500 other institutions and individuals, representing a diversity of positions on every topic. We publish news and views ranging from vigorous opponents of governments to government publications and spokespersons. Publishers named above each report are responsible for their own content, which AllAfrica does not have the legal right to edit or correct.

Articles and commentaries that identify allAfrica.com as the publisher are produced or commissioned by AllAfrica. To address comments or complaints, please Contact us.