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BBC journalist Hanna Yusuf who defended wearing hijab as a 'feminist statement' dies at the age of 27

Yusuf was born in Somalia, she spoke six languages including Somali and Arabic, and had previously written for The Guardian and The Independent

Journalist Hanna Yusuf, who famously defended wearing the hijab as a "feminist statement," has died at the age of 27.

Yusuf's family released a statement shortly after the tragedy saying that they were shocked, "deeply saddened and heartbroken" by her sudden demise.

"You will always be remembered in our hearts and minds. May Allah forgive you and grant you Jannatul Firdous [a high place in heaven]," the family said in a moving statement. They also said that they hoped Yusuf's legacy "would serve as an inspiration" as colleagues paid tribute to "one of the brightest journalists in the British-Somali community."

The journalist, who wrote for the BBC News website, has previously worked as a television news producer and had previously written for the Guardian, the Independent, and the Times.

Yusuf was born in Somalia in 1992 and spoke six languages, including Somali and Arabic. She has also worked with victims of serious crimes and whistleblowers. 

Yusuf, in August this year, had revealed Costa Coffee's working conditions, including employees' complaints alleging that managers in the outlets refused to pay for sick or annual leave. She also reported about employees being made to work outside of contracted hours and about retention of their tips. Shortly after her report, a Costa Coffee spokesperson said that an independent audit had been launched "given the serious nature of the allegations."

The young journalist, last year, told the story of Zaynab Hussein, a mother of nine children who moved to Leicester in 2003 after escaping violence in Somalia. Hussein was a victim of a hate crime after a 21-year-old stranger repeatedly ran over her leaving her with life-altering injuries.

Yusuf, in 2015, had created a video for the Guardian, stating her decision to wear the hijab at the time, saying "it has nothing to do with oppression. It's a feminist statement." Her video was widely shared at a time when multiple countries were imposing restrictions on wearing the hijab and burkha.