Freelance
December 18, 2011, in Mogadishu, Somalia

A gunman wearing a military uniform shot Hassan, 38, a freelance broadcast journalist, according to news accounts and CPJ interviews. Hassan was driving from the offices of HornCable TV to a press conference when the uniformed gunman intercepted his vehicle and opened fire, according to the station's director, Abdulle Haj Ali.

Hassan, shot in the head, died at a local hospital; a colleague riding in the car was unhurt. The shooting occurred around 4 p.m. in Mogadishu's central district of Hamar Jabar, local journalists told CPJ.

Hassan told colleagues that he had received several recent death threats via cell phone. Days before the shooting, Hassan had covered a tense session of the Transitional Federal Parliament during which violence broke out between supporters and opponents of Speaker Sharif Hassan Sheikh Adan, local journalists told CPJ.

Hassan contributed to HornCable TV and radio stations Hamar Radio and Voice of Democracy. Ali said Hassan was known for his courageous and balanced reporting. He was survived by a wife and four children.

Medium:Radio, Television
Job:Broadcast Reporter
Beats Covered:Human Rights, Politics
Gender:Male
Local or Foreign:Local
Freelance:Yes
Type of Death:Murder
Suspected Source of Fire:Government Officials, Military Officials
Impunity:Yes
Taken Captive:No
Tortured:No
Threatened:Yes

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