Press Freedom

CAJ holds General Meeting, sets-up its Governing Council

ABUJA (HORN OBSERVER) The Congress of African Journalists (CAJ) has today completed its first General Meeting and elected its Governing Council for a three-year term to address issues affecting journalists and their organizations in Africa.

Ahead of elections, safeguarding press freedom in Somalia should be prioritised

MOGADISHU, Somalia 17 November 2020 – Somali Journalists Syndicate (SJS), Somali Media Association (SOMA), Disabled Journalists Association, representatives from Lower Shabelle Journalists Organisation, directors and editors from over 30 independent media houses today gathered in Mogadishu for a consultative…

Astaan TV CEO handed down with 'politically motivated verdict' in Somaliland, 2 journalists briefly detained in Gedo

MOGADISHU (HORN OBSERVER) – Somali Journalists Syndicate (SJS) and Somali Media Association (SOMA) strongly condemn the politically-motivated decision by the Marodi-Jeh Regional Court in Hargeisa against the subscription-based television cable service Astaan TV and its CEO, Abdimanan Yusuf on Wednesday…

On IDEI, Somali journalists and their unions call for urgent end of impunity

MOGADISHU (HORN OBSERVER) In a joint commemoration held in Mogadishu on the International Day to End Impunity for the Crimes Against Journalists on 2nd November, Somali Journalists Syndicate (SJS), Somali Media Association (SOMA) and Media Women Network (MWN) called for an urgent action to end the culture…

CAJ Calls on Governments to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists in Africa

NAIROBI (HORN OBSERVER) The Congress of African Journalists (CAJ) has today called on African Governments to end the impunity for crimes perpetrated against journalists in the course of their work.

A notorious rights violator picked as a member of Somalia's Hirshabelle Parliament

JOWHAR (HORN OBSERVER) On Tuesday night, Somalia's Hirshabelle State has announced its second Regional Assembly (Parliament) comprising 90 members from the clans in Hiiraan and Middle Shabelle regions.

Ahead of Elections, UN Urges that Somalia's Political Space Remain Open to All

Mogadishu – As Somalia prepares to hold elections, the United Nations today highlighted the need to ensure the country's political space remains open, allowing for a diversity of voices and views to be expressed as part of the democratic process. To achieve this, freedom of expression, opinion,…

Radio Kulmiye journalist held incommunicado for five days freed

MOGADISHU, Somalia – Somali Journalists Syndicate (SJS) and Somali Media Association (SOMA) jointly welcome the release of Radio Kulmiye journalist, Abdullahi Kulmiye Addow who was arbitrary detained and held incommunicado since Saturday night 17 October 2020, by the National Intelligence and Security…

Supporting Elections Across Africa

JOHANNESBURG - Our work in supporting elections across Africa continues to be a priority and we've dedicated unprecedented resources to these efforts both locally and globally, with protecting election integrity at the center of this work. This update provides an overview of our ongoing work in…

Burundi: 65 organizations call for immediate release of Iwacu journalists

NAIROBI (HORN OBSERVER) On the first anniversary of their arrest, 65 organizations call for the immediate and unconditional release of the Iwacu journalists Agnès Ndirubusa, Christine Kamikazi, Egide Harerimana and Térence Mpozenzi who were convicted on charges against state security for simply doing…

Radio journalist detained in an undisclosed location after interviewing a businessman in Mogadishu

MOGADISHU (HORN OBSERVER) Somali Journalists Syndicate (SJS) and Somali Media Association (SOMA) vehemently condemn the raid on the prominent Radio Kulmiye journalist, Abdullahi Kulmiye Addow's home and his illegal detention by officers from the National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA) in…

Armed Somali police threaten, harass and arbitrary detain journalists in Mogadishu and Baidoa

MOGADISHU, Somalia 06 October 2020 – Somali Journalists Syndicate (SJS) and Somali Media Association (SOMA) strongly condemn the gun threat, harassment and arbitrary detention by Somali police against journalists on Friday 2 October 2020 in Baidoa and on Monday 5 October 2020 in Mogadishu respectively.

Joint Letter Re: Concerns and Recommendations on Somalia's New Media Law

To: His Excellency Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed President of the Federal Republic of Somalia Villa Somalia Mogadishu, Somalia

Somalia's int'l partners note agreed electoral process while calling for a decisive democratic progress

MOGADISHU (HORN OBSERVER) Somalia's international partners have taken note of the last week's political agreement announced by the Federal Government of Somalia (FGS) President and the five Federal Member State (FMS) Presidents regarding the 2020/21 electoral process.

Radio journalist detained in Hargeisa, Somali Parliament officials threaten media over controversial sexual bill coverage

MOGADISHU, Somalia, 15 September 2020 – Somali Journalists Syndicate (SJS) and the Somali Media Association (SOMA) condemn the detention of freelance radio journalist, Ilyas Abdi Ali by the Somaliland police in Hargeisa on Monday 14 September, 2020, meanwhile, we call for officials at Somalia's…

Amid worsening press freedom situation, Puntland and Somaliland carry out multiple journalists' arrest

MOGADISHU, Somalia, 09 September 2020 – Somali Journalists Syndicate (SJS) and the Somali Media Association (SOMA) strongly condemn the multiple arrests against journalists and the judicial and police harassment by Puntland authorities in Garowe and Somaliland authorities in Hargeisa, Erigavo and…

Do or Die: Somali president's comms director threatens journalists, unions who oppose media law

MOGADISHU (HORN OBSERVER) On Thursday hundreds of journalists, editors, photographers, women reporters, media bosses and representatives from Somali civil society groups protested against the country's draconian media law introduced a day earlier.

Media fraternity led by SJS and SOMA joined by the members of the civil society protest against the draconian media law in Mogadishu

MOGADISHU, Somalia, 28 August 2020 – Somali Journalists Syndicate (SJS) and the Somali Media Association (SOMA) on Thursday joined journalists, editors, media directors and civil society representatives to protest against the amended draconian media law, which has been introduced this week, following…

Somalia's new media law poses threat to media freedom and rights of journalists

MOGADISHU, Somalia, 26 August 2020 – Somali Journalists Syndicate (SJS) and the Somali Media Association (SOMA) strongly protest against the oppressive and draconian Media Law (amendment) which was signed into law by President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo this week and followed by an announcement to…

A cameraman seriously injured in Somalia hotel attack as NISA targets local radio

MOGADISHU, Somalia 18 August, 2020 – Somali Journalists Syndicate (SJS) and Somali Media Association (SOMA) are very concerned about the health condition of Mohamed Abdi Hussein Araye, a cameraman with the state-owned TV, who was critically injured in a hotel attack in Mogadishu on Sunday, while we…