Press Freedom

CPJ: Somaliland court sentences journalist Abdirahman Mohamed Hiddig to 21 months in prison

Nairobi, January 28, 2020 -- Authorities in Somaliland should immediately release journalist Abdirahman Mohamed Hiddig from prison and drop all charges against him, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.

Somalia's International Partners concerned about latest developments in Galmudug State formation

Mogadishu – Somalia's international partners* are concerned about the developments in Galmudug State that have emerged during the final stage of the months-long effort towards forming a united and stable Galmudug Federal Member State through a reconciliation process and elections.

Somali President receives media delegation headed by NUSOJ to hear concerns over media law

MOGADISHU, Somalia - Somali President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmaajo has Sunday night received a media delegation headed by the National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ) to hear growing concerns from the journalists' community about the media law.

RSF: Somali president asked not to sign "deadly" media bill into law

Reporters Without Borders (RSF) calls on President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed, also known as "Farmajo," not to sign Somalia's newly approved media bill into law because it would open the way for criminal prosecutions for ordinary press offences and would undermine efforts by the authorities…

SJS Calls Somali President to withhold and refuse signing draconian media bill into a law

MOGADISHU, Somalia, 22 January, 2020 – Somali Journalists Syndicate (SJS) protests against the draconian Somali Media Law (amendment) passed by the Upper House on Tuesday 14 January, 2020 and calls for President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmaajo to exercise Constitutional powers to withhold and refuse to…

Somali journalists union reports multiple violations against the press from Somaliland, Puntland and Southwest State of Somalia

MOGADISHU, Somalia, 19 January, 2020 – Somali Journalists Syndicate (SJS) calls for Somaliland authorities to quash the 21 months jail sentence and the fines against journalist Abdirahman Mohamed Hiddig, Eryal TV reporter in Erigavo, Sanaag region following a facebook post deemed critical to a senior…

Somalia's president to assent draconian media bill into law ahead of elections

MOGADISHU, Somalia (HORN OBSERVER) – Members of Somalia Federal Parliament's Upper House on Tuesday passed a controversial and draconian media bill which according to journalists' trade unions and opposition lawmakers described as a tool designed to stifle press freedom ahead of the country's…

Journalists covering elections in Galmudug State of Somalia protest against restrictions, TV editor released

MOGADISHU, Somalia, 13 January, 2020 – Somali Journalists Syndicate (SJS) stands in solidarity with local journalists and media houses in Galmudug who on Sunday evening 12 January, protested against the increasing pressure and blockage against independent journalists covering Galmudug State election…

Somalia: Police confiscate and delete footage from journalists' cameras, detain one in Mogadishu

MOGADISHU, Somalia (HORN OBSERVER) - Somalia's police on Wednesday detained a senior TV journalist Ahmed Abdi Adawe in Mogadishu while seven other journalists were their equipment confiscated as the police deleted footage files from the journalists' cameras following a deadly car bomb near the…

FESOJ is worried about the deteriorating situation of press freedom in Somalia

Press Statement: Mogadishu, Monday , January 6, 2020: Federation of Somali Journalists (FESOJ) is worried about the deteriorating situation of the press freedom in Somalia and the appalling working conditions of the Somali journalists.

State of the Press Freedom report in Somalia in 2019

MOGADISHU, Somalia, 06 January, 2020 – As 2019 ends, multiple actors continue to target Somalia media and its professionals through continued attacks, arbitrary arrests, death threats, and obstruction of access to information – all representing a vital constitutional right that citizens were meant…

Somalia: Media law amendment seeks restrictions on free press, gag social media

MOGADISHU, Somalia, (HORN OBSERVER) – Debate on the Somalia Media Law amendment has kicked off at the country's Upper House (Senate) on Tuesday as lawmakers firmly opposed new sections of the law that seek to impose restrictions on the free press and censorship against social media.

Somaliland court lifts one-year ban on local newspaper as press advocate welcomes the decision

HARGEISA (Horn Observer) Somaliland Supreme Court has lifted the one-year ban from the independent Foore newspaper in Hargeisa on Wednesday December 25 following a prolonged appeal, the paper's editor and the Somali Journalists Syndicate (SJS) confirmed.