IFJ condemns kidnapping of media executive in Somalia

“We firmly condemn this act of violence which confirms our concern for the safety of our colleagues in Somalia. This climate of terror against the journalists is unacceptable,” declared Gabriel Baglo, director of IFJ Africa office. “Remedial measures are needed urgently to address the situation in this country where journalists continue to pay a heavy price only for doing their work”.

According to the National Union of the Somali Journalists (NUSOJ), Ibrahim Mohammed Ali was kidnapping on Tuesday, 2 June by four armed and hooded men in the Afgoye area near Mogadishu. He was with Abdirisak Mohamud Jimale, one of his technicians when kidnappers told him that he was their target before driving him away in their car when they failed to find the Universal channel's vehicle.

The IFJ has noted that The first half of this year has been particularly bloody for the journalists in Somalia with the deaths of Hassan Mayow Hassan who was shot dead by a member a pro-governmental militia in Afgoye,south of Mogadishu on 1 January, of Said Tahlil Ahmed, director of radio HornAfrik, assassinated by three armed men on 4 February in Mogadiscio, of Abdirisak Warsameh Mohamed of Radio Shabelle gunned down on 22 May by armed groups near the market of Bakara in Mogadiscio and of Nur Muse Hussein (Nur Inji) who died on 25 May from gun wounds he sustained on 20 April when he was shot at in Beledweyne area in Central Somalia.

The IFJ has demanded, immediate and without condition, the release of Ibrahim Mohammed Ali and renews its firm demand to Somali authorities to give top priority to the safety and the security of Somali journalists in order to guarantee press freedom in this country.

Article published courtesy of IFJ.org