Africa Media Development Foundation condemns the continuous attack and intimidation of journalists in Somalia.
Local reports on July 5th say armed police attacked and blocked journalists from the Universal TV, Radio Kulmiye, Radio Risaala and Dalsan TV, as they were covering an opposition protest at Daljirka area in Mogadishu. “The police confiscated equipment from Universal TV journalists and even threatened with shooting”.
The Somali Journalists Syndicate (SJS) and Somali Media Association (SOMA) in a joint press statement expressed displeasure over the recent attacks and called for the protection and safety of the journalists, and freedom of the press amid the increased violence by state actors against independent media and journalists in Somalia and Somaliland.
According to reports, on 4th July, police officer slapped journalist Fu’ad Mohamud Mohamed of Radio Risaala forcing him to stop filming on the scene of a car bombing in Hamar Jajab District in Mogadishu.
Last week, the Banadir Regional Court issued an ordered Goobjoog Media journalist, Abdiaziz Ahmed Gurbiye to appear before the Court on Tuesday 7th July.
“Gurbiye was arrested on 14th April and was released on bail after he wrote an article alleging that Somali president took a donated ventilator from Covid-19 hospital in Mogadishu”.
A press release by Reporters Without Borders (RSF) says at least 20 journalists have been arrested since the start of the year, including five in June alone, saying that “Somalia arrests more reporters than almost any other country in sub-Saharan Africa”.
AMDF demands for the immediate release of radio Hiigsi’s editor, Mohamed Abduwahab Nuur (Abuuja) who remains imprisoned since March 7 without charges due to his article deemed critical to the security forces.
We further call on Somali authorities to sieze all forms of censorship, intimidation and arrests of Somalian private media and journalists.