Shabelle Media Network (Mogadishu)
18 January 2012
Nairobi — The National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ) today unveiled its Annual Report on the state of press freedom. The report is the result of extensive and systematic monitoring and documentation of incidents of attacks on journalists and media organisations in Somalia's south-central regions, and in territories controlled by Puntland and Somaliland.
The report, entitled "Lives and Rights of Journalists Under Threat", records that 4 journalists were murdered, 7 journalists wounded, 19 journalists arbitrarily arrested, 7 media houses attacked, and at least 5 newspapers faced criminal defamations. The NUSOJ consistently and intrepidly outwitted and uncovered suppression of press freedom and journalists' rights throughout the year.
The year 2011 was worse than 2010. The targeting of journalists was not only politically motivated and systemic but also institutionalised, and more journalists were victimized, through arrests, beatings, harassment, trumped-up criminal proceedings, and even killing.
"In bold defiance of fear and injustice, with laudable commitment to freedom and justice, journalists continued to speak out to tell the story of Somalis, give voice to the voiceless, and defend their fundamental rights and freedoms in the face of deadly bullets, beatings, bellicose pressure, and over-officious and corrupt public institutions, including those of law enforcement," said Omar Faruk Osman, NUSOJ Secretary-General.
"Mogadishu continues to record the highest levels of attacks against journalists and news media organisations in the country. All four journalists murdered this year were slain in this troubled capital city, which also saw the most serious violations of press freedom," said Abdi Aden Guled, NUSOJ Press Freedom Coordinator.
The year under review was darkened by a dangerous fight for control of what information reaches the public and by repression of media's critical voice. As seen in Puntland but more clearly in Somaliland, criminal defamation against journalists and media outlets has been the major attempt to inflict hostile action on the media community, to subdue the provision of independent information to the public and to pose a major threat to the practice of independent journalism.
The Transitional Federal Government (TFG) has emerged in 2011 as the worst predator of press freedom and perpetrator of violations of journalists' rights. With the systematic abuse of power without warrant by security forces, ministries and other elements within the TFG have been responsible for arrests of journalists, barring journalists from access to collecting news from areas within its control and offices, direct and indirect threats to journalists, undermining private media houses while promoting organs of propaganda, attempts to illegitimately take over national journalists union, hindering journalists' work, alleged murder of a journalist, restricting journalists' travel, bringing or threatening baseless prosecutions against journalists, maligning journalists' leaders and demanding money for personal benefit (corruption), with the threat of serious repercussions for organizations that do not pay.
Somaliland authorities came in second place, after the TFG, in terms of numbers of press freedom violations committed, with more than a dozen editors and reporters either beaten, arbitrarily arrested or legally prosecuted for "criminal defamation", "slander" or "false news", the complainants being Somaliland ministers and other public office holders. Somaliland took more journalists to court on criminal charges of defamation, slander or false news than any other authority in the history of the country.
Puntland came third in committing violations of press freedom in 2011, with criminal prosecution of a journalist, suspension of journalists and media houses, and other mistreatment of journalists. The annual report demonstrates that authorities in these northeastern regions failed to promptly investigate and bring to justice perpetrators of attacks against media houses.
"The NUSOJ considers impunity the foremost, albeit silent, enemy of journalists and press freedom. The union strongly affirms to the Somali authorities and the world community that the only substantial way to end threats, harassment and killings of journalists is to carry out impartial investigations to identify the perpetrators, including the intellectual authors, and to prosecute them, thus sending a clear signal that violence and persecution will be punished, regardless of motivation of the perpetrators or their political affiliation," says the report.
"Poor working conditions, caused to a significant extent by the poor financial capacity of private media houses which employ the majority of working journalists, continue to be a discernable threat to the growth of professional journalism and press freedom," said Abdiqani Sheik Mohamed, NUSOJ Organising Secretary.
The NUSOJ calls on the international community to make their support of and cooperation with Somali authorities conditional on their respecting and protecting fundamental rights of journalists, and of the people of Somalia in general, particularly the right to freedom of expression and the associated freedom of association, which are the basis for the exercise of all other human rights, on the restoration of the just rule of law and state-building.
"We can see that personal contacts and private diplomatic discussions are no longer effective when violations are multiplying and blatantly flaunted in the face of world community. In most cases, such efforts do not generate pressure for change. The international community should stand firm against abusive government officials and rogue elements, and openly express international reaction, in order to preserve human rights values," declared Osman.
The NUSOJ appeals to the TFG, Somaliland and Puntland authorities:
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2) To bring police and other security forces under control by immediately stopping the harassment, brutality, arbitrary arrests, and even killing, regularly perpetrated against journalists and media organisations and to ensure full accountability for previous violations.
3) To promptly cease violations of journalists' right to freedom of association and to stop threats of criminal prosecution against journalists, including their organisations and leaders.
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