Since the beginning of Hassan Shikh Mohamud's government Somalia media has been constantly witnessing and experiencing harassment, humiliation, intimidation, aggravation and all sorts of evil acts against Somali media fraternity. This was due to members of the president's sub clan were capitalizing his tenure as a tool to execute their sinister goals.

Latest of those was Hassan Shire Sheikh who runs East and Horn of Africa Human Rights Defenders Project from Kampala.  Hassan has been in the business of bullying Somali journalists for quite sometime.  His tactics used to include among others impostors inside the country who carried his message without having seeing him publicly.  Those loyalists include Hassan Ali Geesey, a semi-illiterate – self-proclaimed journalist, his superior Mohamed Ajiib, and Mohamed Pakistan, all of them are known assassins who, at least once of their life time committed Somali journalists murder.  It’s now becoming clear that Hassan Shire has been behind their murderous operations since they cannot afford financially or has got the capacity to organize such obscure operations.  He never speaks out violations against journalists. On the contrary, he discourages any kind of advocacy for journalists, in Somalia and in exile.  This puts a question mark on the role of his organization and himself.  One of the victims of journalist violence who sought his assistance came back with dismay when he was told clearly by one of Hassan Shire loyalist, Mr Geesey that he should not look for shire’s assistance for issues that may hit back important people.  Such issues have been described by analysts as either protecting the government of his cousin or eluding any act that may disclose his proxy assassinations in Somalia.

Hassan has also been business in the Visa trade.  He helped trafficking dozens of people to western countries.  He is cleverer than officials in the government of his cousin, by asking his western affiliate organizations to invite a number of people, such that he can get away with $10,000 - $30,000 cleanly and without trace.  We’ll publish evidences very soon. 

As Somali journalists, we urge donor countries and international media advocacy organizations to refrain from promotion, assistance or any kind of support of Hassan Shire’s violations against Somali journalists which we’ll bring them to the limelight in the due course.  We call upon the above-mentioned bodies to help an investigation against Hassan Shire’s crimes which will be launched soon. 

 May truth prevail.