UNESCO condemns killing of journalist Jamal Farah Adan in Somalia

The UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay has condemned the killing of Somali broadcast journalist Jamal Farah Adan in Galkayo, central Somalia, on 1 March.

"I condemn the killing of Jamal Farah Adan. I call on the authorities to investigate this crime and bring its perpetrators to justice. Attacks against journalists represent a criminal form of censorship that is intolerable in any society that aspires to uphold the fundamental human right of freedom of expression and the right to access information," said Audrey Azoulay, UNESCO Director-General.

Jamal Farah Adan, a freelance contributor to local radio stations Radio Daljir, Radio Galkayo, and Radio Garowe, was shot dead by unidentified assailants in front of a shop owned by his family in Galkayo.

A political journalist, Adan had recently received death threats in connection with his critical reporting on the al-Shabaab armed rebel group.

UNESCO promotes the safety of journalists through global awareness-raising, capacity building, and a range of actions, notably in the framework of the UN Plan of Action on the Safety of Journalists and the Issue of Impunity.