Mogadishu (Onkod Radio) MOGADISHU, Somalia 13 May, 2022 – Somali Journalists Syndicate (SJS) and the Somali Media Association (SOMA) Yesterday joined a silent protest to condemn the brutal killing of Al-Jazeera Arabic journalist, Shireen Abu Akleh, shot dead by Israeli forces during as assignment in Jenin town in the West Bank.
During the Friday protest, SJS and SOMA leaders joined journalists and editors to march on the main Maka al-Mukarama street in Mogadishu as they strongly condemned the merciless shooting of journalist, Shireen Abu Akleh.
“We are mourning Yesterday in solidarity with our brothers and sisters of Al-Jazeera Network as the mourn for the loss of their colleague journalist, Shireen Abu Akleh, who was brutally targeted and killed in Jenin on Wednesday, 11 May, 2022. She was clearly wearing her ‘PRESS’ vest when she was killed,” Abdalle Ahmed Mumin, the Secretary-General of Somali Journalists Syndicate (SJS) said. “Journalism is not a crime. We condemn the Israeli forces who killed Shireen Abu Akleh. We call for an independent investigation to bring the killers to book.”
“We are in shock that even journalists who wear clearly marked vests with ‘PRESS’ logo are targeted and shot dead. We condemn this attack as an attack against all journalists in the world,” Mohamed Osman Makaran, the Secretary-General of Somali Media Association (SOMA) said. “There is no any state that can act above the law. Israeli forces who killed Shireen Abu Akleh must be held accountable.”
Female journalists also joined the protest calling the murder of Shireen Abu Akleh as violation of international laws and norms.
“Any attack on a journalist in unacceptable. Female journalists have particularly targeted in many places in the world. We are mourning for the death of Shireen Abu Akleh. We want to see justice for her family and the perpetrators are held accountable,” female senior journalist Filsan Abdirahman said while addressing the media covering the protest in Mogadishu.
“An attack on a single journalist is an attack on all journalists. That is why we are protesting Yesterday here in Mogadishu. Those who shot dead journalist, Shireen Abu Akleh, must be held accountable even if they try to cover it up,” Samira Abdiaziz, a female freelance journalist told reporters.
SJS and SOMA extend their sincere condolences to the family of Shireen Abu Akleh in Palestine, and her Al-Jazeera colleagues around the world.