Human Rights

Somali police forced injured female journalist to recant complaint case

MOGADISHU (HORN OBSERVER) Mogadishu's Waberi police commissioner, Mohamed Abdukadir and his officers with the backing of Villa Somalia Communications Officer, have forced female journalist, Safiya Osman Abdulle to withdraw her case against Waberi police and district officials following an assault…

Somali football instructor shot dead in Afgoye

MOGADISHU (HORN OBSERVER) It is with great sadness that Somali Football Federation announces the death of former Ocean Stars goalie, instructor and current goalkeeping coach for Ocean Stars youth team, Abdiwali Olad Kanyare, who was shot dead by unidentified gunmen in the town of Afgoye, 30 kilometres…

United States calls for Protection of Press Freedom in Somalia

The United States Embassy in Mogadishu calls on the Somali Government and people to allow and encourage transparent reporting on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic to facilitate the critical efforts to protect and preserve the health and safety of the people of Somalia.

Somalia's NISA executes two kids, injures three others in a training facility

MOGADISHU (HORN OBSERVER) The Somali National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA) has executed two young kids who attempted to flee from its forced training facility in Mogadishu and injured three others last week, Horn Observer has learnt.

Somalia faces another desperate situation as COVID-19 cases spiral, NGO says

MOGADISHU (HORN OBSERVER) With more than 750 confirmed COVID-19 cases in Somalia, the IRC warns that many cases are going untested and undetected. Somalia has faced decades of violence and cycles of drought and floods, leaving its health care system ill equipped to respond to this outbreak.

Flood victims in Somalia receive assistance amidst COVID-19 pandemic

MOGADISHU (HORN OBSERVER) The Federal Government of Somalia (FGS) and UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency have airlifted vital humanitarian assistance to approximately 8,100 Somalis affected by flooding in South-West, Jubaland and Puntland States this past week.

UN in Somalia affirms support on the investigation of downed aid cargo plane in Bardale

MOGADISHU (HORN OBSERVER) The Deputy Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General, Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Somalia, Mr. Adam Abdelmoula has said he was deeply saddened by the crash of plane carrying humanitarian cargo in Bardale on Monday.

AFEX Condemns Murder of Journalist in Somalia

The African Freedom of Expression Exchange (AFEX) condemns the murder of journalist Said Yusuf Ali, of privately-owned Kalsan TV in Mogadishu, Somalia.

JOINT STATEMENT: TV journalist stabbed to death in Somali capital

MOGADISHU, Somalia, 04 may, 2020 – Somali Journalists Syndicate (SJS), Federation of Somali Journalists (FESOJ), Somali Media Association (SOMA) and Somali Independent Media Houses Association (SIMHA), strongly condemn the killing of Kalsan TV journalist, Said Yusuf Ali who was stabbed to death in…

Somalia: Heavy Rains, Floods and Needs in Various Locations

MOGADISHU - Rising river levels and flooding affected various states in different ways of destruction of IDP shelters; inundated farmlands, and damaged roads across regions of Somalia in the past weeks.

JOINT STATEMENT ON WPFD2020: Media Freedom Under Siege in Somalia

MOGADISHU, Somalia 03 May, 2020 – On the occasion of World Press Freedom Day May 3 2020, we the undersigned Somalia media fraternity express our grave concern on the spate of threats, attacks and intimidation against journalists and media professionals in the past year.

Somalia: Spate of Arrests, Intimidation of Journalists

NAIROBI – Somali authorities have been stepping up their intimidation of journalists as the country faces a growing number of Covid-19 cases. Since mid-April 2020 alone, authorities arbitrarily detained three journalists, accused two of various crimes, and prohibited a local radio station from broadcasting…

On International Workers' Day, SJS calls for adequate protection and fair pay for Somali journalists

MOGADISHU, Somalia 01 May, 2020 – Somali Journalists Syndicate (SJS) wishes all Somali journalists a Happy International Workers' Day.

Somali journalist Mohamed Abdiwahab Nuur held incommunicado since early March

Nairobi, April 30, 2020 -- Somali authorities should immediately release radio journalist Mohamed Abdiwahab Nuur and allow him to work freely, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.

Somalia Launches Game-changing Report on Health and Lives of Somalis, including Hard-to-Reach Communities

MOGADISHU (HORN OBSERVER) A new report launched today by Somalia—titled the Somalia Health and Demographic Survey (SHDS) Report 2020—offers the country's decision makers and stakeholders vital information on the health and lives of Somali women of childbearing ages and children.

Ethiopia: Forced evictions in Addis Ababa render jobless workers homeless amid COVID-19

ADDIS ABABA (HORN OBSERVER) Addis Ababa municipal authorities have demolished dozens of homes belonging to day labourers over the past three weeks, rendering at least 1,000 people homeless amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Amnesty International said today.

Letter Urging Somali Government to Protect Free Speech and End Violence Against Journalists

April 22, 2020 H.E. Mr. Mohamed Abdullahi 'Farmaajo' President of the Federal Republic of Somalia Re: Protecting Free Speech and Journalism and Ending Violence Against Journalists Your Excellency:

US military sheds some light on civilian casualties from shadowy war in Somalia

Reacting to the publication today of US Africa Command's (AFRICOM) first quarterly assessment of civilian casualties resulting from its operations in Africa, which acknowledges that two Somali civilians were killed and three injured in an air strike, Seif Magango, Amnesty International's Deputy…

Somalia: Initial AFRICOM Civilian Casualty Assessment Quarterly Report

As part of the command's commitment to transparency, U.S. Africa Command is implementing a quarterly report on the status of ongoing and completed civilian casualty allegations and assessments.

An IDP samosa vendor woman among two shot dead by police enforcing curfew in Somalia capital

MOGADISHU (Horn Observer) On Friday evening, Madina Abdullahi Abdi, 19-years-old displaced woman has heard that police enforcing an extended night curfew was approaching to her area at Mogadishu's Bondhere district. She hastily wrapped up her large plate of samosa which she vendored and went indoors.…