RSF writes a letter to François Hollande on freedom of the press in Somalia
Organisation:
As President François Hollande prepares to meet his Somali counterpart, Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, Reporters Without Borders wishes to draw the attention of the French leader to the state of freedom of information in Somalia, where journalists are frequently targeted by armed militias such as al-Shabab and are also subjected to arbitrary arrest by the authorities. Somali journalists continue to pay the price of the absence of the rule of law in Somalia, and are about to face even more curbs on freedom of the press in the near future.
President François Hollande
Palais de l’Elysée
55 rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré
75008 Paris
Paris,14 October 2014
Dear Mr. President, As you prepare for your talk with President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud of the Federal Republic of Somalia, Reporters Without Borders, an international organization that campaigns for freedom of information, wishes to draw your attention to the dangers posed to journalists by the actions of the Somali government. We are well aware of the security challenges Somalia faces, but curbing the media and imprisoning journalists will not help restore the rule of law in the country, which remains one of the most dangerous in the world for journalists. A few months ago the journalist Yusuf Keynan was killed by a bomb placed in his car. In 2013, no less than seven journalists were murdered and the previous year, 18 were killed. Journalists are regularly exposed to violence by armed groups such as the al-Shabab militia, but they are also the targets of repressive measures by the government against freedom of information. Reporters Without Borders is particularly preoccupied by a new media law, which will shortly be submitted to the president for signature. Far from protecting freedom of the press, the bill contains disproportionate penalties and poorly defined offences, further muzzling the news media that are nevertheless essential for the development of a stable and durable democracy. If the president signs it into law, he will be signing the death warrant of independent journalism in Somalia. At the same time, four well-known journalists are in prison without trial in Mogadishu. Abdiimalik Yusuf, the head of Shabelle Media Network, Ahmed Abdi Hassan, the editor of Radio Shabelle, and Mohamud Mohamed Dahir, the director of Sky FM, were arrested during a violent raid by security forces on their offices on 19 August. They are accused of high treason and inciting revolt. A few weeks later, another Radio Shabelle journalist, Mohamed Bashir Hashi, was arbitrarily arrested without any official reason. They could face the death penalty for carrying out their work as journalists and reporting what is happening in their country. Whatever light have been said on the stations’ airwaves, the imprisonment and charges against these journalists are totally disproportionate. It is essential that they be given a fair trial. France is committed to ensuring that crimes against journalists do not go unpunished. We ask you, Mr. President, to ensure this issue is on the agenda of your talks with President Mohamud. I thank you for your attention in this matter. Please accept my sincere regards. Christophe Deloire Secretary General, Reporters Without Borders (photo slideshow: Hassan Sheikh Mohamoud, president of the Federal Republic of Somalia)
President François Hollande
Palais de l’Elysée
55 rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré
75008 Paris
Paris,14 October 2014
Dear Mr. President, As you prepare for your talk with President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud of the Federal Republic of Somalia, Reporters Without Borders, an international organization that campaigns for freedom of information, wishes to draw your attention to the dangers posed to journalists by the actions of the Somali government. We are well aware of the security challenges Somalia faces, but curbing the media and imprisoning journalists will not help restore the rule of law in the country, which remains one of the most dangerous in the world for journalists. A few months ago the journalist Yusuf Keynan was killed by a bomb placed in his car. In 2013, no less than seven journalists were murdered and the previous year, 18 were killed. Journalists are regularly exposed to violence by armed groups such as the al-Shabab militia, but they are also the targets of repressive measures by the government against freedom of information. Reporters Without Borders is particularly preoccupied by a new media law, which will shortly be submitted to the president for signature. Far from protecting freedom of the press, the bill contains disproportionate penalties and poorly defined offences, further muzzling the news media that are nevertheless essential for the development of a stable and durable democracy. If the president signs it into law, he will be signing the death warrant of independent journalism in Somalia. At the same time, four well-known journalists are in prison without trial in Mogadishu. Abdiimalik Yusuf, the head of Shabelle Media Network, Ahmed Abdi Hassan, the editor of Radio Shabelle, and Mohamud Mohamed Dahir, the director of Sky FM, were arrested during a violent raid by security forces on their offices on 19 August. They are accused of high treason and inciting revolt. A few weeks later, another Radio Shabelle journalist, Mohamed Bashir Hashi, was arbitrarily arrested without any official reason. They could face the death penalty for carrying out their work as journalists and reporting what is happening in their country. Whatever light have been said on the stations’ airwaves, the imprisonment and charges against these journalists are totally disproportionate. It is essential that they be given a fair trial. France is committed to ensuring that crimes against journalists do not go unpunished. We ask you, Mr. President, to ensure this issue is on the agenda of your talks with President Mohamud. I thank you for your attention in this matter. Please accept my sincere regards. Christophe Deloire Secretary General, Reporters Without Borders (photo slideshow: Hassan Sheikh Mohamoud, president of the Federal Republic of Somalia)
Published on
Updated on
20.01.2016
Somalia
