Journalist murdered on the eve of World Press Freedom Day

The National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ) strongly condemns the murder of a radio journalist in Galkayo town of Mudug region in central Somalia.

Journalist Farhan James Abdulle, reporter for Radio Daljir – Galkayo branch, was murdered at around 20:10 on Wednesday, 2 May 12. Unidentified men armed with pistols shot dead Abdulle at Kuwait Street in Garsoor village on his way back home.
“We express outrage over this shocking and cruel killing of Farhan Abdulle,” said Abdirisak Omar Ismail, NUSOJ Supreme Council President. Abdulle, 27, was a long time member of NUSOJ and has been advocating for the security of journalists in Galkayo. He is remembered of being vocal in asking politicians holding press conferences and public events of what they could do in ending impunity and safeguarding security of journalists.
“Journalists in Galkayo are feeling unsafe, prone to targeted vicious campaign, and they are no longer free from fear for their lives,” said Abduwelli Hassan Gooni, NUSOJ Puntland Coordinator.
NUSOJ demands immediate justice and an end to the culture of failure to pursue perpetrators of these utterly odious crimes against journalists.
“Killing Abdulle on the eve of World Press Freedom Day is an indication of the cruel, bloody violence against journalists. For Somali journalists, we have no reason to celebrate but to remember our fallen brothers,” said Omar Faruk Osman, NUSOJ Secretary General.
Abdulle sadly becomes the fifth journalist to be murdered in Somalia in this year. He is the second journalist murdered in this year in Galkayo after Ali Ahmed Abdi who was killed on 4 March 2012. He left 2 children and their mother.
Deplorably, Abdulle’s death comes as journalists already started to observe World Press Freedom Day. Since the beginning of this year, a journalist has been murdered in each month, and all of them were broadcast journalists.