Somali ‘rape case’ journalist freed

A Somali reporter and stringer for the IMS-supported humanitarian Radio Ergo, has been freed from prison by Somalia’s Supreme Court

Abdiaziz Abdinur Ibrahim, 27, received a one year sentence in early February, accused of “offending state institutions”. He was investigating the case of a woman who alleged rape by security forces.

In early March, a Somali appeals court ordered the continued imprisonment of Abdiaziz while cutting his original sentence of one year in half.

The woman who alleged rape was also previously sentenced to one year, but the charges against her were subsequently dropped.

Somalia’s Supreme Court said on Sunday 17 March that charges against Abdiaziz had been dropped.

Leaving court, he said to AFP: “I’m very happy that I got my freedom back, I thank those who worked in this process that helped my release including my lawyers.”

Disputed medical evidence

The case in which the pair was convicted drew international criticism with United Nations chief Ban Ki-moon saying he was “deeply disappointed”.

The woman had reported the alleged rape at a police station in Mogadishu and prosecutors alleged she and others had been paid by Abdinur to lie.

She was convicted after the judge cited disputed medical evidence saying she had not been raped.

The journalist, who was detained in January, was accused by police of collecting material for an al-Jazeera media report on rape in camps for displaced people.

Humanitarian radio stringer

As a stringer for the IMS-supported Radio Ergo, Abdiaziz Abdinur is part of a network of correspondents across Somalia, who works to ensure that Somalis have access to quality information.

The network of stringers, gives Radio Ergo a unique presence across Somalia through their local engagement with ordinary people, officials, health personnel and Somali doctors.

Radio Ergo transmit its daily radio production  through shortwave, and the programmes are re-transmitted by 12 FM radio stations based inside Somalia

The radio service broadcasts on issues that include health and HIV/AIDS, education, conflict prevention, protection, gender equality, employment opportunities and environmental protection. This diverse set of topics enables the Somali listeners to make better informed decisions in their communities and for their families.

IMS supports Radio Ergo through its daughter company IMS Productions ApS with a branch office in Kenya.