London (Sunatimes) Somali journalist Mohamed Olad Hassan has won the prestigious House of Commons Press Gallery Speaker Abbot Award for bravery and his fight for freedom and democracy in his country.

Speaker Bercow hosted a reception last night for the presentation of the Speaker Abbot Award. Olad, who is a reporter for the BBC world service was unable to attend the presentation because of visas difficulties. BBC’s head of Middle East an Africa Mr. Jery Timins received the Award on Olad’s behalf.

The Press Gallery’s Speaker Abbot Award is an international journalism award - named after the Speaker who first allowed the press access to House of Commons proceedings. It is awarded annually to the journalist who is considered by a panel of judges to have made the greatest contribution internationally to the 'protection, promotion and perpetuation of democracy'.

"I would like to see my country return to peace, which is founded first and foremost on respect for human rights and free media and truly free and democratic elections’ Olad said.

He called on the international community to support the aspirations of the people of Somalia in general and journalist in particular

Speaker Bercow said that in the UK, journalists were free to criticize politicians. They were even free to criticize the Speaker - not that this should be encouraged, he added lightheartedly.

But in the UK it was easy to take these freedoms for granted. Mr Olad was unable to attend the presentation, he said, because of visa difficulties.

These were difficulties that would not happen to any journalist from the western countries including UK. , he said. ‘It is a sign of a salutary reminder of the democratic freedoms we so readily take for granted'.

By Sunatimes.com

[email protected]