Somali government offers $50,000 for information on journalists’ killers

Mogadishu: The Somali government is offering a $50,000 (Dh183,650) reward for information that leads to the convictions of those killing journalists, the country’s prime minister said.

Prime Minister Abdi Farah Shirdon said over the weekend that the reward will help ensure that such killers are brought to justice.

Somalia is one of the world’s most dangerous countries in which to practise journalism, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists. Last year 18 Somali journalists were killed, but no arrests were made. So far this year one reporter has been killed, bringing to 45 the total number of journalists killed here since 2007.

The National Union of Somali Journalists said last year that impunity is a fundamental problem in Somalia. It said no one has been convicted for the deaths of the journalists. Judicial reform is at the heart of the government’s efforts to ensure killers of journalists are brought to justice, Shirdon said during a meeting with journalists on Saturday.