Press Freedom

SOMA condemns Somali police officer's shooting on radio journalist in Mogadishu

MOGADISHU, Somalia - Somali Media Association (SOMA) condemns the act of shooting which a police officer shot and injured journalist Abdifatah Abduqadir Sharif who works for the Mogadishu-based independent Radio Danan in Mogadishu's Sey Biyano neighborhood on Thursday evening.

Radio journalist shot and injured in Mogadishu; TV station seized in Hargeisa & Erigavo court remands journalist

MOGADISHU, Somalia 26 June, 2020 – Somali Journalists Syndicate (SJS) strongly condemns the shooting against Radio Danan journalist, Abdifatah Abduqadir Sharif (Iqbal) by a uniformed Somali police officer at Sey Biyano neighbourhood in Hodan District in Mogadishu on Thursday 25 June, 2020 and the…

Journalists who covered local protests detained in Sool and Sanaag, says Somali journalists union

MOGADISHU (HORN OBSERVER) Somali Journalists Syndicate (SJS) condemns the multiple brief arrests against journalists in Sool and Sanaag regions in Somaliland respectively.

CPJ: One journalist in hiding, 2 others detained over protest coverage in Djibouti

New York, June 17, 2020 — Authorities in Djibouti should stop harassing journalists working with the La Voix de Djibouti broadcaster, and ensure that the press can cover matters of public interest without intimidation, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.

Somalia's govt employed fake journalists to troll journalists and smear political opponents

MOGADISHU (HORN OBSERVER) Under the presidency of Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo, Somali government has employed fake journalists and social media campaigners to carry out a smear campaign against its political opponents and troll on journalists as per documents seen by Horn Observer.

Villa Somalia should instruct the AG to drop charges against Goobjoog Media journalist

MOGADISHU, Somalia 10 June, 2020 – Somali Journalists Syndicate (SJS) and the Somali Media Association (SOMA) calls for Somali Attorney General and Somali President's Office to drop their charges against Goobjoog Media Group's deputy director, Abdiaziz Ahmed Gurbiye after nearly two months…

CPJ joins call for Cameroonian government to account for Samuel Wazizi's death in custody

The Committee to Protect Journalists joined nine other human rights and press freedom groups yesterday in a statement calling on the Cameroonian government to allow for an independent probe into the death of journalist Samuel Wazizi.

Somaliland arrests TV journalist for reporting a road accident involving police vehicle

HARGEISA (HORN OBSERVER) Somaliland authorities on Monday arrested a local TV reporter working for the privately owned SAAB TV, after reporting a road accident involving a police vehicle in Hargeisa, local media and journalists said.

After three months incommunicado detention, journalist Mohamed Abuuja appears before a military court in Mogadishu

MOGADISHU, Somalia 07 June, 2020 – Somali Journalists Syndicate (SJS) and Somali Media Association (SOMA) have noticed for the first time in three months that Radio Hiigsi editor, Mohamed Abduwahaab Nuur (Abuuja) appeared before a military court in Mogadishu today on Sunday 07 June, 2020 and was transferred…

Farmaajo achievement: Civilian killings, Qalbi-Dhagah's extradition and war on media

MOGADISHU (HORN OBSERVER) On Saturday, Somali president Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo addressed the joint session of the seventh Sitting of the Somali Federal Parliament's both chambers (Upper House and Lower House).

Somaliland releases freelance journalist on pardon

MOGADISHU, Somalia June 6, 2020- Somali Media Association (SOMA) warmly welcomes the decision by the Somaliland authorities to release journalist Abdimalik Muse Oldon from the jail in Hargeisa today on Saturday 6 June, 2020.

Freelance journalist Oldon is freed after spending one year and 49 days in Somaliland jail

MOGADISHU, Somalia 06 June 2020- Somali Journalists Syndicate (SJS) welcomes the release of journalist Abdimalik Muse Oldon from the jail in Hargeisa on Saturday 6 June, 2020 after spending one year and 49 days in prison.

SJS says, "Independent media and journalists should be allowed to cover Somali Parliament's Joint Session"

MOGADISHU, Somalia – Somali Journalists Syndicate (SJS) calls for the Somali Federal Parliament to reverse its decision to ban journalists from independent media from covering the Joint Session of the Federal Parliament scheduled on Saturday 6 June, 2020.

SOMA is concerned about the decision to an independent media coverage during Saturday's Parliament Session

MOGADISHU, Somalia 05 June 2020 – Somali Media Association (SOMA) is concerned by the decision to ban independent media houses from Somali Parliament's Both Houses coverage ahead of tomorrow's 7th Sitting of the Parliament.

JOINT STATEMENT: Phone of a radio editor held incommunicado accessed

MOGADISHU, Somalia, 26 May, 2020 – We, Somali Journalists Syndicate (SJS), Somali Media Association (SOMA) and Somali Independent Media Houses Association (SIMHA) express our grave concern by the use of detained Radio Hiigsi editor, Mohamed Abduwahaab Nuur Abuuja's phone number to register with…

Ahead of general elections, Somalia's AG threatens media and journalists with dire consequences

MOGADISHU (HORN OBSERVER) Somalia's Attorney General (AG) Sulayman Mohamed Mohamud has been threatening media and journalists trying to report the abuses and human rights violations committed by the Somali police and state officials ahead of the country's general elections later in the year.

Somali media fraternity concerned by intimidation and threats by the Somali police to deny journalists' justice

MOGADISHU, Somalia 22 May, 2020- Somali Journalists Syndicate (SJS) and Somali Media Association (SOMA) jointly condemn the physical assault against SBC TV journalist, Abdullahi Mohamed Sheikh on Thursday by Hamar Jajab police commissioner and we express our concern by the measures to block the journalists…

CPJ: Ethiopian police ignore court orders to free journalists held since March

Nairobi, May 22, 2020 -- Ethiopian police should immediately and unconditionally free journalists Dessu Dulla and Wako Nole and media worker Ismael Abdulrzaq, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.

SOMA condemns physical assault on SBC TV & Radio journalist in Mogadishu

MOGADISHU, Somalia 21 May, 2020- Somali Media Association (SOMA) condemns in the strongest terms possible the assault against SBC TV & Radio journalist Abdullahi Mohamed Sheikhdon by a senior police officer while covering a COVID-19 related incident in Mogadishu's Hamar-jajab district.

Somali police officer assaults TV journalist during Covid-19 assignment in Mogadishu

MOGADISHU, Somalia 21 May, 2020- Somali Journalists Syndicate (SJS) strongly condemns the physical assault and the brief detention against SBC TV journalist, Abdullahi Mohamed Sheikhdon during assignment to cover Covid-19 awareness campaign in Mogadishu's Hamar Jajab District on Thursday 21 May,…