UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay has condemned the killing of Somali journalist Ahmed Mohamed Shakur in Basra, north of Mogadishu, the capital of Somalia, on 30 September.
“I condemn the killing of Ahmed Mohamed Shakur,” said the Director-General. “Shakur, like all too many journalists around the world, risked and lost his life in order to inform the public about events they might otherwise not be aware of. I call on the authorities to investigate the circumstances of this killing and bring those responsible to justice.”
Shakur, who worked for Somali National Television (SNTV), was killed by an improvised explosive device while covering the operations of security forces against Al-Shabaab militia.
UNESCO promotes the safety of journalists through global awareness-raising, capacity building and by coordinating the implementation of the UN Plan of Action on the Safety of Journalists and the Issue of Impunity.
Ahmed Mohamed Shakur, 26, was killed after an improvised explosive device hit him while walking alongside security officials, a family member and a colleague told @sjs_Somalia. pic.twitter.com/RFX2Hs5hHG
— Somali Journalists Syndicate – SJS (@sjs_Somalia) September 30, 2022