A United Nations humanitarian envoy for Somalia on Monday condemned the killing of two prominent journalists and harassment of the media in the war-ravaged Horn of African nation.
In a statement issued in Nairobi, the UN Humanitarian Coordinator for Somalia Eric Laroche urged the authorities to conduct a prompt and impartial investigation in the murder of HornAfrik radio owner Ali Iman Sharmake and station presenter, Mahad Ahmed Elmi, who died in separate attacks in Mogadishu on Saturday.
"The violent events of the last days show how vulnerable freedom of expression remains in Somalia," Laroche said and called for an end to impunity.
The weekend killings of the two prominent journalists are the most recent in a spate of attacks against the media in Somalia and brings to six the number of journalists killed in the country this year.
Sharmake died when his car exploded after apparently running over a landmine. He had just been to the funeral of Elmi who was shot dead hours earlier.
Laroche called on all authorities and groups "to respect the right of all to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information through any media."
"The transitional government is responsible for ending impunity for attacks on journalists by conducting prompt and impartial investigations and preventing any form of harassment of the media, " he said.
"Furthermore, the draft legislation on media must ensure that freedom of information and media, as enshrined in article 20 of the Transitional Federal Charter, is fully protected."
Sharmarke was a Somali-Canadian who returned to Mogadishu nine years ago to establish and manage the media group.
The group works regularly with the United Nations on AIDS and mine awareness, child soldier recruitment and other programs.
Both victims were respected figures among Somali journalists who strive to keep alive freedom of information and principles of impartial and accurate reporting in Somalia's violent environment.
A third journalist, Abdihakim Omar Jimale, from Radio Mogadishu, was also victim of an assassination attempt on Friday evening and is still under medical supervision for his injuries.
No group has so far claimed responsibility for these crimes.
Somali authorities said Sunday they are holding two suspects in connection with the deaths of the two journalists.
Mogadishu Mayor Mohamed Dheere said the two suspects were arrested on Saturday night, adding that one of them has confessed to being involved in both attacks.
A number of local and foreign journalists have been killed in recent years in the war ravaged Horn of African country, which has been without effective central government for many years.
Somalia has experienced continued instability despite dozens of peace initiatives since the overthrow of Siad Barre, former president, in 1991.
Source: Xinhua
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