Somali journalist remains in prison over reporting on rape
The Somali reporter and stringer for the IMS-supported humanitarian Radio Ergo, Abdiaziz Abdinur Ibrahim, will remain in prison said a Somali appeals court last week
Abdiaziz 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.
Last week, a Somali appeals court ordered the continued imprisonment of Abdiaziz while cutting his original sentence of one year in half.
According to the Guardian, relatives of Abdiaziz are increasingly worried that his fragile health will not survive a Mogadishu jail that is so overcrowded he has to sleep standing up.
The woman who alleged rape was also previously sentenced to one year, but the charges against her has now been dropped.
The case in which the pair was convicted of “offending state institutions”, has drawn international criticism with United Nations chief Ban Ki-moon saying he was “deeply disappointed”.
Journalists will ‘run from’ victims
In an interview with The Guardian, the rape victim, Lul Ali Osman Barake said she was left with ‘a burning sense of injustice’ after her conviction was overturned by the appeals court:
“If I am not angry, who will assist me to catch them? No one can identify their faces now. No one will arrest them.
“I am angry with the attorney general and the police. I was a victim and they ordered my arrest. They said I told lies and denied that I had children. I’m an IDP, I can’t read or write and they were making use of my ignorance. They were trying to protect the reputation of the government and police.
“Journalists in Somalia will see it as a message. They will run from any victim because they know what happened to me.”
‘Weak’ justice system
Speaking to Al Jazeera last week on the handling of Abdiaziz’ case, Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, termed his country’s justice system ‘weak’:
“Journalists are Somali citizens. There is no special law for journalists. But I will go back to Somalia and ask why he is still jailed.
The issue of our justice system, we do not deny, it’s weak. As the same time, our financial systems are weak, our security systems are weak. But this is what we have.
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.
