Somalia Jails Rape Victim And Journalists For Reporting Crime

Amanda Scherker
Updated
Somalia Jails Rape Victim And Journalists For Reporting Crime

A 19-year-old Somali woman was sentenced to a six-month jail term Monday for reporting her rape to a news outlet, and two journalists were also sentenced for publishing the story, according to Al Jazeera.

The woman, who was charged with "defamation and lying," received a suspended sentence and will serve the time in her home.

Mohamed Bashir Hashi, a journalist with Shabelle Media Network's "Radio Shabelle," was handed a six-month jail term, while the director of Shabelle Media was given a one-year sentence. The journalists had the option of paying a fine instead of serving time, and after putting up the money, they were released Monday, according to Shabelle News.

The woman's alleged "defamation" reportedly occurred during an interview with Hashi. In the interview, the woman said she was raped by two colleagues from a state-owned radio station, according to the BBC.

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"One of the men threatened me with a pistol, and took me to the bedroom by force... both of them raped me several times, destroying my pride and dignity," she told Radio Shabelle, according to the Agence France-Presse. "I am appealing to the government to take legal action against the rapists, they might have done the same to other poor girls."

After the interview was published online, both the woman and Hashi were arrested, and the director of Shabelle Media was taken into custody, Al Jazeera reported.

While in custody, the woman was questioned, Shabelle News notes, where she told authorities one of the alleged rapists threatened to kill her father and brother if she ever reported the crime. The woman said she had already reported the crime to Somali authorities.

This isn't the first time a Somali woman has been arrested for reporting a rape this year. In February, a woman was given a one-year sentence after alleging she was raped by security forces. The Somali government has faced pressure from the United Nations regarding both cases, according to AFP.

The most recent sentencing occurred just days after Somalia boasted its commitment to women's rights when it hosted the United Nations' Open Day for Women, Peace and Security Summit. The summit was intended to "foster the role played by women in society," according to the U.N. press explanation that accompanied a Vimeo video.

Footage from the event shows Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud pledging to create a new police unit to investigate crimes against women and to bolster medical resources for rape victims.

This article originally appeared on HuffPost.