By Ahmed Abdi,
ABDULLAHI Hussein, a former head of a state-run media and adviser to Ogaden Regional President, Abdi Mohamoud Omar, has been awarded this year’s Anna Politkovskaya Award for his courage to smuggle out a one-hundred-hours filmed footage of genocide, rape and torture committed by the Ethiopian military against the people of Ogaden.
Part of the film material was shown in the SVT’s documentary called ‘Captures the Dictatorship’ – the ” Dictatorship Prisoners“.
With his life at stake, Abdullahi Hussein decided to smuggle out the 100 hours long, unedited raw video materials to expose the killings and abuses in the Ogaden region.
His courage led to the revelation of first hand evidence that shows how the Ethiopian Security forces committed atrocities against the Somali Ogaden villagers and political prisoners. He showed the world how a single individual’s courage can make the difference.
Mr. Hussein, who is currently a political refugee in Sweden and living under death threats, also saved the lives of the two-Swedish journalists, Martin Schibbye and Johan Persson, who were caught entering into the Ogaden with the aim of reporting the brutality of the army and the impact of foreign oil companies on the lives of the Ogaden civilians.
The video shows how the Ethiopian Security forces treat these two Journalists since the day of their arrest and how the prosecutor used an edited version of the video to slap each of them with an 11 years prison sentence.
Mr. Hussein also honored for bravery in another ceremony that was held on 10th April and awarded the prize of Sweden’s Civil Courage of the year 2014, “Antigone Award”.
The award to Anna Politkovskaya’s memory is shared to a journalist whose work distinguished itself in the defense of freedom of expression and press freedom.
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