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Murder of journo highlights most dangerous place in Africa for media

3 Feb 2012

The director of the leading private radio and television network in southern Somalia was murdered last week, report the National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ) and other IFEX members. Hassan Osman Abdi, a senior journalist and director of Shabelle Media Network, was shot dead outside his home in Mogadishu on 28 January, after being followed by five men in a sedan, says NUSOJ.

Last October, Abdi was appointed director of the network, largely considered a leader in reporting on the political crisis in Mogadishu and government corruption. One of the network's media outlets, Radio Shabelle, is Somalia's most popular privately-owned radio station. It was awarded the Reporters Without Borders (RSF) Press Freedom Prize in the "Media" category in 2010.

The station has been repeatedly harassed, threatened and attacked by security forces for its coverage, reports the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ).

Read the full story on www.ifex.org.