Press Freedom

Somalia: Restrictions on access to information entrenching self-censorship among the media

MOGADISHU, Somalia 28 September 2022 – On the International Day for Universal Access to Information, Somali journalists have little to celebrate about. The often precarious and volatile environment is coupled with restrictions on access to information, duress and insecurity.

Somalia: SJS conducts human rights journalism training in Garowe

MOGADISHU, Somalia – Somali Journalists Syndicate (SJS) trains 16 local journalists in Puntland on human rights journalism as part of the National Endowment for Democracy (NED)-supported program to promote human rights in Somalia.

SJS and SOMA condemn Somaliland's suspension on independent TV

MOGADISHU, Somalia 09 September, 2022 – Somali Journalists Syndicate (SJS) and the Somali Media Association (SOMA) strongly condemn the suspension against the privately-owned independent CBA television in Hargeisa by the Somaliland Ministry of Information on Wednesday.

Rwandan prosecutors request 22-year prison sentences for 3 Iwacu TV journalists

Nairobi, Kenya—Rwandan authorities should release three Iwacu TV journalists held in detention, ensure they face no further legal harassment, and guarantee that members of the press are not imprisoned for their work, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Tuesday.

Somalia: SJS concludes German-supported women in the media empowerment training in Mogadishu

MOGADISHU, Somalia 24 August, 2022 – Somali Journalists Syndicate (SJS) concluded a three-day training for Somali women journalists benefitting 20 female journalists and producers in Mogadishu on Friday.

Somalia: Local TV camera-journalist shot and injured by Haramcad police while covering Mogadishu hotel attack

MOGADISHU, Somalia 21 August, 2022 – Somali Journalists Syndicate (SJS) and the Somali Media Association (SOMA) strongly condemn the shooting of M24 TV camera-journalist, Ahmed Omar Nur, by Haramcad police while covering the Hayat hotel attack in Mogadishu on Sunday.

UN declares the arrest and detention of journalist Kilwe Adan Farah in Somalia's Puntland a human rights violation

MOGADISHU, Somalia, 15 August 2022 – Somali Journalists Syndicate (SJS) and human rights lawyer, Michael Polak of Justice Abroad jointly welcome the opinion of the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention (UNWGAD) declaring the arrest and detention of journalist Kilwe Adan Farah, in Somalia's…

Somalia: South West State police should free two radio journalists held in Baidoa

MOGADISHU, Somalia – South West State authorities should instruct police officers in Baidoa to free two Radio Warsan journalists who are held at the Baidoa criminal investigation department since Thursday 4 August, the Somali Journalists Syndicate (SJS), Federation of Somali Journalists (FESOJ) and…

Somaliland detains BBC Media Action staff while Somali police spokesman threatens reporters covering police operations in Mogadishu

MOGADISHU, Somalia 25 July 2022 – Somali Journalists Syndicate (SJS) and the Somali Media Association (SOMA) call for Somaliland authorities to halt the threats and harassment against British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) staff and journalists in Hargeisa; unconditionally release five members of…

SOMA has conducted Symposium Encouraging Somali Media Law Review and Amendment

Mogadishu, Somalia: With the support of IMS/FOJO, the Somali Media Association (SOMA) has organized and conducted on Sunday, July 24, 2022 one-day high level symposium for the media stakeholders including media associations and civil society organizations (CSO) to advocate for guidance towards review…

Tigrayan authorities in Ethiopia detain 5 Tigrai TV journalists

Nairobi, July 20, 2022 – Authorities in the Ethiopian region of Tigray should immediately release five Tigrai TV journalists who were recently taken into custody for their work, as well as all other members of the press behind bars, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Wednesday.

Mogadishu police shoot, beat and detain 2 reporters; SWS holds journalist incommunicado, Somaliland bans BBC Somali

Mogadishu (Horn Observer) Somali Journalists Syndicate (SJS) and the Somali Media Association (SOMA) call for South West State (SWS) authorities to immediately and unconditionally free journalist Hassan Ali Daud held in undisclosed detention by South West State intelligence officers in Baidoa since…

Police in Somalia's capital detain, beat, confiscate equipment and fire at journalists in duty

Mogadishu, Somalia (Horn Observer) Members of the Somali police on Monday beat, detain, confiscate journalists' equipment and fired at live bullets, in a move that attracted condemnation from the Somali journalists Syndicate.

Galmudug police detain human rights journalist over a facebook post deemed critical to president Qoorqoor

MOGADISHU, Somalia – Somali Journalists Syndicate (SJS) and the Somali Media Association (SOMA) call for the urgent and unconditional freedom of journalist Hashim Omar Hassan, a member of SJS human rights journalists network, who is arbitrarily detained in Adado town in Galmudug State, since Saturday…

Somalia: South West State detains TV journalist, Jubbaland restricts independent media covering the state assembly

Mogadishu _ Somalia (Horn Observer) Somali Journalists Syndicate (SJS) and the Somali Media Association (SOMA) condemns the arbitrary detention against RTN television reporter, Mohamed Abdirahin Mohamed, who is a member of SJS human rights journalists network, by South West State police in Baidoa, on…

Mogadishu police arbitrary detain and threaten journalists covering insecurity in the capital

Mogadishu (Horn Observer) Somali Journalists Syndicate (SJS) and the Somali Media Association (SOMA) strongly condemn the arbitrary detention, threats and solicitation of bribes by the Mogadishu police against four journalists working for Risaala Media Corporation, which is a member of SOMA network…

SJS and SOMA strongly condemn travesty trial and jail sentence on journalists in Somaliland

Mogadishu (Horn Observer) – Somali Journalists Syndicate (SJS) and the Somali Media Association (SOMA) strongly condemn the travesty of trial and the one year and four months jail sentence against three local journalists who were held in detention in Hargeisa since 13 April for covering the Hargeisa…

Two TV journalists injured in a bomb explosion in central Somalia

Mogadishu (Horn Observer) – Somalia 27 June, 2022 – Somali Journalists Syndicate (SJS) and the Somali Media Association (SOMA) condemn the bomb attack that has injured two journalists in central Somalia early on Monday.

Court sentences police officer who shot and seriously injured cameraman in Mogadishu to one year in jail

Mogadishu (Horn Observer)– Somalia 19 June, 2022 – Somali Journalists Syndicate (SJS) and the Somali Media Association (SOMA) welcome the Somali military court verdict of one year jail term on a Haramcad police officer who shot and seriously injured SJS member and Goobjoog TV cameraman, Sharma'arke…

Journalists' unions, media organisations condemn latest violations against media freedom and journalists in Somalia, including the restrictions, threats and censorship

Mogadishu (Horn Observer) — Somalia 16 June 2022 – Somali journalists unions and media houses associations under the umbrella of Somali Mechanism for the Safety of the Journalists (SMSJ) today condemned the latest violations against the freedom of the media and journalists in Somalia, including…