The International Federation
of Journalists (IFJ) today condemned the murder of Said Tahliil Ahmed, Director of
HornAfrik- a radio and television station in the Somali Capital Mogadishu- who
was gunned down on 4 February 2009.
"We condemn this murder which is the result of the lawlessness in Somalia," said Gabriel
Baglo, Director of the IFJ Africa Office. "This crime, the second in as
many months to claim the life of a journalist in 2009, demonstrates that criminal
organisations are on a killing spree in Somalia and that journalists are clearly in their
sights."
According to the National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ), Said was killed near the Bakare
market in central Mogadishu by three unidentified
gunmen who shot him four times in the head as he was with fellow directors of radio stations.
Other media organisation in Somalia said
that militia groups opposed to the peace talks which took place in neighbouring
Djibouti,
could be linked to Said's murder because of his station's extensive coverage of
the Somali presidential elections on 30 January 2009.
Some of these
groups had reportedly warned media organisations in Somalia against reporting on the
peace process.
Said is the second
journalist to be killed in Somalia
since the start of the year. On 1 January, Hassan Mayow Hassan of Radio
Shabelle in Afgooye, south west of Mogadishu
was shot dead by a pro-government militia.
"The new Somali
authorities must rein in these criminal gangs who are terrorising media",
added Baglo. "There are important stories to report on in Somalia and
journalists cannot do their job properly while under threat of death."
For
more information contact the IFJ at + +221 33 867 95 87
The IFJ represents
over 600,000 journalists in 123 countries worldwide
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- IFJ Condemns Lawlessness in Somalia after Killing of Another Journalist