Press freedom situation in Somalia 'worst since 1991,' says AI | Media | /

Mar 05 2008

Press freedom situation in Somalia 'worst since 1991,' says AI

Written by Ali Moallim

Wednesday, 05 March 2008

Mogadishu,(insidesomalia.org)-Somali journalists are subject to severe repression in their efforts to report on the continuous bloody conflicts in their country, facing constant death threats, harassment, arrests, and even killings in a highly restricted media environment, Amnesty International said this week.

Since the beginning of 2007, nine Somali journalists have lost their lives covering the clashes between the Ethiopian-supported Transitional Federal Government forces (TFG) and various armed opposition and insurgent groups in the country.

One of the victims, Ali Iman Sharmarke, the head of the HornAfrik media company, was killed in a car bomb on his way home from the funeral of a murdered colleague.

Reporters without Borders (RSF) HAVE named Somalia "Africa's deadliest country for journalists" in its 2008 annual report.

"Journalists in Somalia, a country which despite everything has a diverse and robust press, have been targeted by hired killers as well as facing the intolerance of the transitional government," RSF said.

At least fifty reporters have been forced to leave the country because of death threats and arrests.

In a new report, London-based Amnesty International (AI) expressed severe concerns this week about the media situation in Somalia, calling it "the worst since the overthrow of the Siad Barre government in 1991."

TFG forces have closed several independent news outlets, particularly Mogadishu-based radio stations, after they broadcast news reports that featured interviews with members of opposition groups or that painted a negative picture of the TGF.

On October 18, 2007, the TFG launched an attack against the offices of Shabelle Radio in Mogadishu, firing automatic weapons into the building for hours. Several journalists were trapped inside for hours.

AI's report comes only a day after the Somali government closed an additional three independent radio stations. The offices were allegedly stormed by soldiers who forced the stations off the air, arresting one journalist.

"The killings, arrests and death threats targeting Somali journalists are not just another unfortunate by-product of the conflict and general insecurity in Somalia – they are a deliberate and systematic attempt by all parties to the conflict to stem the flow of information out of the country", said Michelle Kagari, Deputy Director of AI's Africa Programme.

Members of the Somali media who have been forced to flee Mogadishu because of their profession told AI that they received death threats while reporting on the ongoing conflicts.

The threats are often given over the phone from the security branches of the national authorities, such as the National Security Agency (NSA) of the TFG.

"I wrote a story about two insurgents being killed. I was called on my mobile, and the caller said, 'Why did you write that?' I said, 'It is the truth. I have to write it.' He said, 'You are going on the list of those we will kill,'" said one journalist in an interview with the organization.

A number of journalists also claimed they were threatened by Ethiopian diplomatic representatives in Mogadishu.

"Journalists who receive threats are threatened with death, enforced disappearance or arrest if they do not remove their stories from the Internet – a crude and brutal attack on their right to freedom of expression," said Kagari.

Other reporters have been subject to detainment by TFG troops or the Ethiopian military, with many allegedly being detained by NSA forces. Reporters are usually arrested after filing articles about the conflict or conducting interviews with opposition members.

AI said that NSA officers in some cases discussed amongst themselves whether or not they should kill the reporter in front of him.

AI is calling on the Somali authorities to "respect and protect freedom of expression and to protect journalists from systematic attacks."

The organization urges Ethiopian forces in Somalia and armed opposition groups to "stop the intimidation and attacks against journalists and the media."