Somali court frees reporter jailed for interviewing rape victim

Human rights groups said the February trial of gang rape victim Luul Ali Osman and freelance journalist Abdiaziz Abdinur was politically motivated, aimed at covering up rampant sexual abuse of women by the security forces.    

Abdinur never published his interview with Osman but both were sentenced to one year in jail after the judge found them guilty of making up the story to besmirch the Somali government, a verdict that was heavily criticized by the U.S.

The U.S. State Department said the verdict sent "the wrong message to perpetrators of sexual and gender-based violence" and voiced concerns of witness intimidation during the trial.

Osman was released on appeal earlier this month but Abdinur