Somali court overturns conviction of journalist

MOGADISHU, Somalia (AP) -- Somalia's Supreme Court has overturned a widely criticized conviction of a journalist who was sentenced to six months in prison after he interviewed a woman who said she was raped by security forces

Chief Justice Aideed Abdullahi Ilkohanaf said Sunday there was not enough evidence to support an appeals court ruling that reporter Abdiaziz Abdinur Ibrahim offended national institutions. The justice noted the reporter had not published the interview.

The ruling closes a case that human rights groups had described as a politically motivated effort by the state to shut down negative reports about sexual assaults carried out by security forces.

Earlier in March the appeals court dropped charges against a woman who said she had been raped by security forces. A lower court convicted the woman of defaming the government.