Somali court frees convicted woman over defamation
Source: Agencies |
March 4, 2013, Monday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
A Somali appeals court yesterday dropped charges against a woman who alleged she was raped by government security forces and had been convicted of defaming the government.
Mogadishu appeals court Judge Mohamed Hassan Ali said there wasn't enough evidence to substantiate the prosecutor's charge. A court in February had sentenced the woman to one year in prison after medical evidence entered into the record showed that the woman was not raped. Some experts questioned whether Somalia has the medical expertise to make the kind of judgment.
A journalist who interviewed the rape victim and was tried alongside her had his sentence cut from one year to six months. The judge said the interview was not conducted according to journalism ethics or Somali law.
The February verdict against the two provoked a global outcry by human rights groups, and Human Rights Watch yesterday said it wasn't satisfied with the appeals court's decision.
"The court of appeals missed a chance to right a terrible wrong, both for the journalist and for press freedom in Somalia," said Daniel Bekele, Africa director at HRW. "The government has argued that justice should run its course in this case, but each step has been justice denied."
Prime Minister Abdi Farah Shirdon welcomed the decision concerning the rape victim and said "we are a step closer to justice being done."
But he said ''journalists should be sent to prison for doing their job.''
Mogadishu appeals court Judge Mohamed Hassan Ali said there wasn't enough evidence to substantiate the prosecutor's charge. A court in February had sentenced the woman to one year in prison after medical evidence entered into the record showed that the woman was not raped. Some experts questioned whether Somalia has the medical expertise to make the kind of judgment.
A journalist who interviewed the rape victim and was tried alongside her had his sentence cut from one year to six months. The judge said the interview was not conducted according to journalism ethics or Somali law.
The February verdict against the two provoked a global outcry by human rights groups, and Human Rights Watch yesterday said it wasn't satisfied with the appeals court's decision.
"The court of appeals missed a chance to right a terrible wrong, both for the journalist and for press freedom in Somalia," said Daniel Bekele, Africa director at HRW. "The government has argued that justice should run its course in this case, but each step has been justice denied."
Prime Minister Abdi Farah Shirdon welcomed the decision concerning the rape victim and said "we are a step closer to justice being done."
But he said ''journalists should be sent to prison for doing their job.''
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 娌狪CP璇侊細娌狪CP澶05050403鍙-1
- |
- 浜掕仈缃戞柊闂讳俊鎭湇鍔¤鍙瘉锛31120180004
- |
- 缃戠粶瑙嗗惉璁稿彲璇侊細0909346
- |
- 骞挎挱鐢佃鑺傜洰鍒朵綔璁稿彲璇侊細娌瓧绗354鍙
- |
- 澧炲肩數淇′笟鍔＄粡钀ヨ鍙瘉锛氭勃B2-20120012
Copyright 漏 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
