Sheikh Nur Mohamed Abkey

Sheikh Nur Mohamed Abkey
Born Sheikh Nur Mohamed Abkey
1958
Died May 4, 2010
Mogadishu, Somalia
Nationality Somali
Occupation Journalist
Family Wife and four children[1]

Sheikh Nur Mohamed Abkey (ca.1958[2] - 4 May 2011[3]) was a Somalian journalist killed in the line of duty. Abkey worked for Radio Mogadishu-Voice of Somali Republic in Somalia's capital city. He had a long career as a journalist and worked under difficult conditions during the last two decades of his career.

Career

Abkey was a well-known journalist in Somalia[4] who had been working for media concerns since at least 1988[5] or possibly 1970.[6] He had worked for East Africa Radio,[2] SONA (the Somali News Agency),[6] the radio station HornAfrik and for the Somali Television Network as a comedian and news anchor before going to work for Radio Mogadishu[4] where he trained journalists with the country's Information Ministry. Associates said he turned down suggestions that for security he should live at the radio station and that he refused to be intimidated by the factions fighting in Mogadishu.[3]

Death

He was abducted by armed hooded men early on the morning of 4 May and then later that day shot to death[2][3] near his home in the Wardhigley neighbourhood of the capital.[5] The editor of Radio Mogadishu, Abdirahman Yusuf, was quoted as saying, "Al Shabaab men have killed Sheikh Nur Abkey ... after they killed him, they called us and told us they killed him."[5] Abdolaziz Mohamed Guled, Radio Magadishu's political correspondent said that Abkey was tortured before he was killed by his kidnappers.[6] and eyewitnesses stated that Abkey's body was dumped on a Mogadishu street.[6]

It is believed that Abkey was killed because he was an employee of the government-run Radio Mogadishu, which had been against the extreme insurgents.[3][4]

Reaction

Almost immediately, the International Press Institute condemned Abkey's murder.[7] and in July 2010, Amnesty International condemned the killing of journalists and called for both the government forces and the armed militias to respect freedom of expression.[8]

The Secretary-General of the National Union of Somali Journalists, a partner-organization with Reporters Without Borders, said, "Somali journalists are being murdered just for reporting their stories independently or because they work for a particular news media. The loss of this experienced journalist is heartbreaking for his family and colleagues, but it is also a blow to the entire Somali people."[9]

Irina Bokova, the director-general of UNESCO, said, "I condemn the murder of Sheikh Nur Abkey. His brutal killing is a heinous crime against a brave journalist and against Somali society as a whole. Nothing good will come to the people of Somalia from those seeking to deprive citizens of the right to know and journalists of the basic human right of freedom of expression..." [10]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "SHEIKH NUR MOHAMED ABKEY". The Freedom Forum Journalists' Memorial (Newseum). Retrieved November 17, 2011.
  2. 1 2 3 "NUSOJ Condemns Assassination of Veteran Journalist in Mogadishu". NUSOJ:National Union of Somali Journalists. Retrieved September 20, 2011.
  3. 1 2 3 4 "Sheikh Nur Mohamed Abkey". Committee to Protect Journalists. Retrieved September 19, 2011.
  4. 1 2 3 "Somalia gunmen shoot dead a journalist". BBC News. May 5, 2010. Retrieved November 16, 2011.
  5. 1 2 3 Ibrahim Mohammed; Abdi Guled; Jeremy Clarke; Giles Elgood (May 5, 2010). "Somali journalist shot dead in Mogadishu". Reuters (India). Retrieved November 16, 2011.
  6. 1 2 3 4 "Abducted Somali journalist shot dead". PressTV. May 5, 2011. Retrieved November 16, 2011.
  7. ↑ "Seasoned Journalist Killed in Somali Capital / IPI Condemns Brutal Murder of Radio Mogadishu Journalist". African Press Organization (International Press Institute). May 6, 2010. Retrieved September 19, 2011.
  8. ↑ "Journalists under attack in Somalia as government steps up media crackdown". Amnesty International. July 22, 2010. Retrieved September 19, 2011.
  9. ↑ "Radio Journalist Slain by Gunmen in Mogadishu". Reporters Without Borders. May 5, 2010 (Updated May 6). Retrieved September 20, 2011. Check date values in: |date= (help)
  10. ↑ "Director-General condemns murder of Somali journalist Sheikh Nur Abkey". United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. May 20, 2010. Retrieved September 19, 2010.
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