UNESCO condemns killing of Somali television reporter

The head of the United Nations agency charged with defending press freedom today condemned the murder of a Somali television journalist in Mogadishu.

Abdisalam Sheikh Hasan was shot in the head as he left his office at Horn Cable TV in the Somali capital. He was transported to the hospital where he later died.

“Securing safer working conditions must be made into a priority in Somalia’s effort to establish democracy and rule of law,” said Irina Bokova, the Director-General of the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

“I therefore call on the transitional government to investigate this crime against a journalist and against society as a whole,” Ms. Bokova added.

According to the National Union of Somali Journalists, Sheikh Hasan is the third Somali journalist killed in Mogadishu this year.