Huge reward to catch killers
2013-02-17 22:39
Nairobi - Somalia's government has offered a $50 000 reward
for information leading to the "successful conviction of a journalist
killer", as the country reels from a spate of murders of media workers.
Mohamed Ibrahim, journalist union chief in the war-torn
nation, welcomed the "pledge for justice for slain Somali
journalists" following the announcement of the reward by Somalia's Prime
Minister Abdi Farah Shirdon.
At least 18 media workers were killed last year - double the
worst year on record and second only to war-torn Syria - but no one has faced
justice for the killings.
"One journalist killed is one journalist too
many", Shirdon said in a message on his Twitter account, confirming the
reward.
"Judicial reform is at the heart of the government's
efforts to ensure killers of journalists are brought to justice," he
added.
Somalia's journalists have suffered a string of attacks,
including assassinations or bomb blasts often blamed on al-Qaeda-linked Shebab
insurgents.
Other murders are also believed to be linked to struggles
within the multiple factions in power.
Somalia has been ravaged by conflict since 1991, but a new
UN-backed government took power in September.
