COI-Report-Somalia

EASO Country of Origin Information report — South and Central Somalia — Country overview — 105
self‐censorship. Organisations, such as Reporters without Borders, Article 19, the Somali National Union of Journalists
(NUSOJ), and the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), express their concern that the draft
legislation ‘contains vague language and extremely broad categories that could easily be used to curtail freedom of
expression, for instance requiring media not to contravene or disseminate information that is against Islam, Somali
traditions or traditional ethics’ ( 1085 ). The proposed law further requires journalists to reveal their sources. When
accused of breaking the law, journalists can be suspended from work until a court has ruled in the case ( 1086 ).
The President of Somalia maintains that the final draft is still to be finalised, and that the law ‘protects the human
right of freedom of speech, journalists’ rights, plurality of media and complies with international law’ ( 1087 ). At the
moment of the writing of this report, the draft law was still pending.
4.3.3.2 Journalists in Al‐Shabaab area
According to Reporters without Borders, Al‐Shabaab perceives journalists as their enemy and targets them as
‘unwanted witnesses of terrorist methods.’ In 2013, seven journalists were killed as a result of ‘terrorist attacks
blamed with varying degrees of certainty on the Islamist militia Al‐Shabaab’ ( 1088 ).
Journalists who work for government‐related media face a serious risk of targeted killings. Journalists are threatened
to be killed if they do not report positively on Al‐Shabaab’s attacks. Al‐Shabaab also forbids journalists to report
news that undermine its interpretation of the Sharia ( 1089 ).
In November 2013, Al‐Shabaab deprived an entire region of television by seizing satellite dishes, arguing that these
transmitted images that did not respect Islam. Information is seen as a threat, according to Reporters without
Borders ( 1090 ). For that reason, it also banned smart phones with cameras and internet ( 1091 ). Earlier, Al‐Shabaab
forbade residents under their control to listen to western media broadcasts such as BBC and Voice of America ( 1092 ).
In January 2014, Al‐Shabaab banned internet in areas under its control, for fear of spying ( 1093 ). Reporters without
Borders qualified this as a gross violation of freedom of information ( 1094 ).
4.3.4 Civil servants, (I)NGO workers, activists
According to several human rights reports, humanitarian workers or civilians working for the Somali government,
international and national NGOs, UN agencies, or diplomatic missions are at risk of being targets of attacks and
killings by Al‐Shabaab. Even in government‐controlled areas, targeted killings increasingly occur. The perpetrators are
frequently unknown, although Al‐Shabaab is often believed to be responsible. Al‐Shabaab has also killed prominent
peace activists, community leaders, clan elders, and their family members, for their roles in peace‐building.
Furthermore, politicians, lawmakers and judiciary members face a serious risk of targeted killings ( 1095 ).
( 1085 ) UN News Centre, Somalia: UN rights office concerned over draft law that would curtail press freedom, 19 July 2013 (http://www.un.org/apps/news/
story.aspNewsID=45452) accessed 23 May 2014; Article 19, Somalia: Draft Media Law Legal Analysis, July 2013 (http://www.article19.org/data/files/
medialibrary/37192/Somalia‐analysis‐Final‐July-2013-proofed.pdf) accessed 23 May 2014; Sabahionline, Reporters Without Borders concerned about Somali
media law, 16 July 2013 http://sabahionline.com/en_GB/articles/hoa/articles/newsbriefs/2013/07/16/newsbrief-03 (accessed 23 May 2014);
( 1086 ) IPS, Media Law Hits Somali Journalists, 20 August 2013 (http://www.ipsnews.net/2013/08/media‐law‐hits‐somali‐journalists/) accessed 32 May 2014;
Omar, A., ‘The verdict on Somalia’s new draft media law’, African Arguments [weblog], 19 March 2014 (http://africanarguments.org/2014/03/19/
the‐verdict‐on‐somalias‐new‐draft‐media‐law‐by‐annisa‐omar/) accessed 6 June 2014.
( 1087 ) Osman, A.O., Somalia: New Media Law Will Protect Human Rights, AllAfrica [weblog], 26 August 2013 (http://allafrica.com/stories/201308261759.html)
accessed 23 May 2014.
( 1088 ) Reporters without Borders, World Press Freedom Index 2014, s.d. (http://rsf.org/index2014/data/index2014_en.pdf) accessed 22 May 2014, p. 10.
( 1089 ) 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).
( 1090 ) Reporters without Borders, World Press Freedom Index 2014, s.d. (http://rsf.org/index2014/data/index2014_en.pdf) accessed 22 May 2014, p. 10.
( 1091 ) Sabahionline, Somalia: Al‐Shabaab says smartphones used ‘to spy on `Muslim people’, 14 November 2013 (http://sabahionline.com/en_GB/articles/hoa/
articles/features/2013/11/14/feature-01) accessed 22 May 2014.
( 1092 ) 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).
( 1093 ) See also part 3.5.10.
( 1094 ) Al Jazeera, Al‐Shabab bans internet in Somalia, 9 January 2014 (http://www.aljazeera.com/news/africa/2014/01/al‐shabab‐bans‐ internet‐
‐somalia ‐20141981213614575.html) accessed 19 May 2014.
( 1095 ) 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); AI, Mogadishu cannot qualify as an Internal Flight Alternative,
26 September 2013 (http://www.amnesty.org/en/library/asset/AFR52/012/2013/en/77726de8-a461-430f‐bdd5-3962e6342ccf/afr520122013en.pdf)
accessed 28 May 2014; 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. 50.