UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay has urged measures to protect the safety of journalists in Somalia following a suicide car bomb attack in the capital Mogadishu that claimed the life of Abdiaziz Mohamud Guled, also known as Abdiaziz Afrika, and inured another media professional and their driver on 20 November.
“I condemn the murder of Abdiaziz Mohamud Guled. I urge the authorities to spare no effort in seeking out those responsible for this deadly attack against press freedom and the basic human right of freedom of expression.” — Audrey Azoulay, UNESCO Director-General
The Al-Shabab group claimed responsibility for the killing of Abdiaziz Mohamud Guled, a high profile journalist and the Director of government-owned Radio Mogadishu. Sharmarke Mohamed Warsame, the director of Somali National Television (SNTV), who was in the car with Guled, was critically injured in the blast, as was their driver, Abdukadir Abdullahi Nur.
Guled is the second journalist murdered in Somalia this year.
UNESCO promotes the safety of journalists through global awareness-raising, capacity building and a range of actions, notably in the framework of the UN Plan of Action on the Safety of Journalists and the Issue of Impunity.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
