"The perpetrators have not only deprived a family of a breadwinner but have also deprived society of a promising journalist whose activities were anchored towards youth empowerment,” said AFEX Steering Committee Chairperson, Zoé Titus.
This statement was originally published on africafex.org on 7 June 2016.
The African Freedom of Expression Exchange (AFEX) joins the National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ) to strongly condemn the barbaric killing of Sagal Salad Osman, a female journalist working with state-controlled Somali National Television station (SNTV).
According to NUSOJ, a member of AFEX, Sagal Salad Osman (24 years old) was shot dead on June 5, 2016 at Banadir Junction in Hodan district. Sagal was a student at the Plasma University and a producer of a children’s programme. At the time of the attack, Sagal had left the university premises and was buying something at a restaurant located opposite of the university campus.
According to eyewitnesses, two armed assailants were responsible for the shooting.
NUSOJ has called on the Somali authorities to investigate into the matter and bring the assailants of this heinous crime to book.
“We offer our heartfelt condolences to Sagal Salad Osman’s family, and we implore Somali authorities to bring those responsible for Sagal’s murder to justice, and break the cycle of violence and impunity that has plagued the country for so long,” said Omar Faruk Osman, NUSOJ Secretary General. “We demand that security forces and the judiciary ensure that her death does not go unpunished,” Faruk Osman added.
AFEX backs NUSOJ’s call and sends out its heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of the reporter, especially the six siblings left behind. She was a breadwinner to the six siblings.
This is the second female journalist to be killed in Somalia within the last six months. In December 2015, Hindiyo Haji Mohamed (27 years old) died after a bomb planted under her car went off.
“We are appalled by the mindless killing of Sagal Salad Osman. The perpetrators have not only deprived a family of a breadwinner but have also deprived society of a promising journalist whose activities were anchored towards youth empowerment”, AFEX Steering Committee Chairperson, Zoé Titus said. “We implore the Somali security forces and the police to investigate this matter expeditiously and bring the culprits to justice.”
The perpetrators have not only deprived a family of a breadwinner but have also deprived society of a promising journalist whose activities were anchored towards youth empowerment.
