COI-Report-Somalia

104 — EASO Country of Origin Information report — South and Central Somalia — Country overview
4.3.3 Journalists
Somalia is one of the most dangerous countries in the world for a journalist ( 1073 ). The country ranked 176 out of 180
countries in the 2014 Reporters without Borders Press Freedom index ( 1074 ).
Journalists are often victims of harassment, intimidation, arrests and killings in Somalia, especially those who
are perceived as westernised or working for Western media ( 1075 ). Journalists may be targeted by government,
government‐aligned militia, Al‐Shabaab, as well as unknown assailants. According to Reporters without Borders,
seven journalists were killed in 2013 while 18 were killed in 2012 (including three in Somaliland and Puntland) ( 1076 ).
The Committee to Protect Journalists counted four journalists and one media worker killed in 2013 (of whom three
in Mogadishu). Seventy Somali journalists have gone into exile between 2008 and 2013 ( 1077 ). Impunity for these
killings prevails ( 1078 ). Despite promises by FGS to investigate attacks on journalists and bring the perpetrators to
justice, no such measures were taken ( 1079 ).
Several journalists were arrested and badly treated by Somali state officers ( 1080 ). For example, from 2013 to 2014,
human rights reports mention the following cases:
• On 10 January 2013, police arrested a journalist for interviewing a woman who alleged that security forces had
raped her. Both the journalist and the victim were convicted by a court and sentenced to one year in prison on
charges of insulting state institutions. Both appealed the judgment, and both were released two months later ( 1081 ).
• On 26 October 2013, security forces closed two radio stations belonging to the Shabelle Media Network. Staff
and journalists were arrested and evicted from the government‐owned building, which served as a safe house
for media workers, aside of radio station ( 1082 ).
• In February 2014, the Director of Radio Dananan and two other media workers were arrested, after posting
pictures of a regional vice‐president after he was injured by a bomb. The men were interrogated and allegedly
tortured in the National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA) detention centre on accusation of a critical report
on the government ( 1083 ).
During its 15th Extraordinary Session held in Banjul, The Gambia, between 7-14 March 2014, the African Commission
on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR) passed a resolution addressing the continual attacks on media workers in
Somalia. The ACHPR ‘strongly condemns the serious violations of the right to life committed against journalists and
media practitioners’ and appeals for ‘the immediate cessation of harassment and intimidation aimed at independent
media organisations’ in Somalia ( 1084 ).
4.3.3.1 The draft media law
On 11 July 2013, a draft media law, prepared by Somalia’s Ministry of Information, Post, Telecommunication and
Transport, was adopted by the Somali Council of Ministers. The draft law has been met with wide criticism from
international and national agencies and journalists, arguing that it violates freedom of information and encourages
( 1073 ) HRW, World Report 2014, Somalia, 21 January 2014 (http://www.hrw.org/world‐report/2014/country‐chapters/somalia) accessed 13 May 2014.
( 1074 ) Reporters without Borders, World Press Freedom Index 2014, s.d. (http://rsf.org/index2014/data/index2014_en.pdf) accessed 22 May 2014, p. 31.
( 1075 ) Landinfo/Udlændingsstyrelsen, Update on security and protection issues in Mogadishu and South‐Central Somalia, March 2014 (http://landinfo.no/
asset/2837/1/2837_1.pdf) accessed 26 May 2014, p. 31.
( 1076 ) Reporters without Borders, World Press Freedom Index 2014, s.d. (http://rsf.org/index2014/data/index2014_en.pdf) accessed 22 May 2014; NUSOJ, Annual
Press Freedom Report 2012, May 2013 (http://www.nusoj.org/wp‐content/uploads/2013/05/2012-Annual‐Press‐Freedom‐Report‐final.pdf) accessed
22 May 2014.
( 1077 ) Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), Attacks on the press 2013 (http://www.cpj.org/2014/02/attacks‐on‐the‐press‐in-2013-somalia.php) accessed
23 May 2014.
( 1078 ) HRW, World Report 2014, Somalia, 21 January 2014 (http://www.hrw.org/world‐report/2014/country‐chapters/somalia) accessed 13 May 2014.
( 1079 ) UN Security Council, Report of the Secretary‐General on Somalia (S/2014/140), 3 March 2014 (http://www.refworld.org/docid/531ef31f4.html) accessed
19 May 2014.
( 1080 ) See for example: Article 19, Newsletter: Freedom of Expression in East Africa, 12 May 2014 (http://www.article19.org/resources.php/resource/37551/en/
newsletter:-freedom‐of‐expression‐in‐east‐africa) accessed 15 July 2014; Reporters without Borders, Outrage over jail sentences in rape interview case,
9 December 2013 (http://en.rsf.org/somalia‐outrage‐over‐jail‐sentences‐in-09-12-2013,45582.html) accessed 15 July 2014.
( 1081 ) US Department of State, Country Report on Human Rights Practices for 2013 - Somalia, 27 February 2014 (http://www.state.gov/j/drl/rls/hrrpt/
humanrightsreport/index.htmyear=2013&dlid=220158) accessed 23 May 2014.
( 1082 ) US Department of State, Country Report on Human Rights Practices for 2013 - Somalia, 27 February 2014, http://www.state.gov/j/drl/rls/hrrpt/
humanrightsreport/index.htmyear=2013&dlid=220158 (accessed 23 May 2014).
( 1083 ) Reporters without Borders, Security agents still hound journalist after detaining, torturing him, 25 February 2014 (http://en.rsf.org/
somalia‐security‐agents‐still‐hound-25-02-2014,45925.html) accessed 22 May 2014.
( 1084 ) Resolution 264: Resolution on Attacks Against Journalists and Media Practitioners in the Federal Republic of Somalia: IFEX,’Somalia: African Commission
Adopts Resolution On Media Attacks in Somalia, Allafrica.com [weblog], 9 April 2014 (http://allafrica.com/stories/201404100873.html) accessed 23 May 2014.