Nairobi — The Committee to Offer protection to Journalists calls on Somali authorities to investigate the killing of journalist Mohamed Abukar Dabashe in a March 18 bombing by the militant workforce Al Shabaab in the capital Mogadishu and enable journalists to attain their jobs without dread of reprisal.
“Mohamed Abukar Dabashe’s death is devastating. Unfortunately, he joins a long list of Somali journalists killed in Al-Shabaab attacks with impunity,” said CPJ Africa Program Coordinator Muthoki Mumo. “Somali authorities should investigate the killing of Mohamed Abukar Dabashe and desist from further intimidation and censorship of journalists who are already operating under difficult circumstances.”
Mohamed Abukar’s body turned into found out in a collapsed building, the do he is reported to possess lived, finish to the assault recount. He labored with Risaala Media Corporation till 2023, and had no longer too lengthy ago been publishing his journalism on Facebook and the YouTube information channel Sirta Waraka, Risaala’s director Mohamed Abduwahab Abdullahi advised CPJ.
Armed police raided Risaala’s locations of work about 20 minutes after it broadcast footage of the explosion recount, ordered its radio and tv channels off air, and arrested newshounds Ali Abdullahi Ibrahim and Hamda Hassan Ahmed; digicam operators Mohamed Said Nur and Abdullahi Sharif Ali; and technician Liban Abdullahi Hassan, according to Mohamed Abduwahab, who would possibly be secretary ordinary of the Somali Media Affiliation, and a press launch by the Somali Journalists Syndicate rights workforce.
The journalists possess been detained for about two hours at a police dwelling, the do they possess been warned no longer to broadcast such squawk, and launched for freed from charge. Risaala had resumed operations by the evening.
Police also temporarily detained no longer lower than 17 various journalists at the assault recount and questioned them at a native dwelling about their protection, three journalists conversant in the incident, who are no longer being named as a result of safety issues, advised CPJ.
Police spokesperson Abdifatah Adan Hassan advised CPJ by phone that police possess been trying to examine the identities of journalists at the positioning nevertheless did now not bag any arrests and that Risaala workers possess been requested to leave their dwelling of job for safety.
CPJ’s calls to inquire of comment from information minister Daud Aweis possess been no longer answered.
