Sabahi (Washington, DC)

Somalia: Shirdon Offers U.S.$50,000 Reward to Catch Journalist Killers

18 February 2013
Photo: http://www.crs.gov
Eighteen media workers were killed in Somalia last year, but none of the killers has been brought to justice (file photo).

Somali Prime Minister Abdi Farah Shirdon on Sunday (February 17th) announced a $50,000 reward for information leading to the "successful conviction of a journalist killer".

"One journalist killed is one journalist too many," Shirdon said via Twitter, expressing the government's commitment to judicial reform as a means of protecting journalists. The announcement follows a meeting between Shirdon and Somali media workers on Saturday.

National Union of Somali Journalists Secretary General Mohamed Ibrahim welcomed Shirdon's "assurances for justice and respect for the freedom of the press", according to AFP, including support for a fair appeal hearing of journalist Abdiasis Abdinuur Ibrahim, who was sentenced to one year in jail for interviewing a woman who claimed she was raped by security forces.

Eighteen media workers were killed in Somalia last year, but none of the killers has been brought to justice.

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Reward Offered for Killer of Somali Journalist

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The prime minister has announced a U.S. $50,000 reward for information leading to the successful conviction of the person who killed a journalist. Read more »