Helping journalists stay secure in Somalia

Journalists around the world face security risks. Journalists in the war-ravaged country of Somalia face particular danger. According to the Committee to Protect Journalists , last year was the deadliest year on record for a country with a long history of press killings: 12 journalists were killed in the line duty. The threat of violence has driven more journalists from Somalia into exile than from any other country in the past year.

Somali journalists protesting the death of one of their colleagues - Human Rights Watch iimage

In a bid to help improve Somali journalists’ personal safety, Google supported the Committee's project translating its Journalist Security Guide into Somali.

While the guide is designed for a global audience, a veteran Somali journalist reviewed the material for local relevance. It is our hope that many Somali journalists will find it useful in their day-to-day work. The entire Somali guide can be read, printed, and downloaded here. The Committee will also organize for tutorial sessions on the content in partnership with Somali journalist associations.

Just last week, the Committee reported that two gunmen waited near the home of a young Somali journalist, Rahmo Abdulkadir. The 25-year-old Rahmo had just left an Internet café in Mogadishu around 9:30 p.m. on March 24 with a friend when she was shot and killed. Her companion was not harmed.

Let’s hope that this deadly narrative can be stopped.

Posted by Ory Okolloh, Google Policy and Government Relations Manager, Sub-Saharan Africa