Somalia has become a hell for journalists and human rights defenders as indicated in this press statement released by the Somalia-based organization SOHRIDEN chaired by Ahmed Kiimiko, chairman of the organization

0157/11/07
26 th November, 2007
Press Release

Mogadishu Mayor is against the TFG
Charter.


Somali Human Rights Defenders Network is deeply concerned about the Somali journalists and the media houses for the intolerable subsequent violations and atrocities of the TFG authorities against their freedom of exercising their professional and the escalating oppressions towards the free media in Somalia.


The Governor and Mayor of Mogadishu Mohamed Dheere today presented incomplete regulations that the independent media is instructed to follow. In his regulations, the governor stated, "the media cannot report the military operations of the TFG forces and the Ethiopian troops unless they receive written documents that gives them approval to disseminate that information. Interviewing the government opponents inside and abroad is forbidden and any of journalists dispense or any radio station transmits their views, he/she will be considered as criminal. Disseminating the displacement of the civilians unless the journalists receive real statistics to base as evidence for their information is also prohibited". "This is totally against the Transitional Federal Charter, the Media Law which have been approved unanimously by the Council of Ministries in June, 30th, 2007, and The Media law is now under discussion and debate in the Transitional Parliament in their session. The Governor, Mohamed Dheere has no authority to issue regulations that confronts the Transitional Federal Charter, Media Law and the international human Rights Instruments," said Zakarie, the legal advisor of Somali Human Rights Defenders Network.

Somali journalist have had bitter share of human rights violations in their home country with numerous arrests, detention, killing and threats that forced a huge number of journalists to flee to Nairobi. "The Media is a watchdog of the new Somali society and is the forth power of the democratic government' said Ahmed Kiimiko, The Focal point of East and Horn of Africa Human Rights Defenders Network for Somalia. 'It is very essential tool effecting for check and balance in government. Any attempt to silence the media risk denying the public to their rights to information which is not only a provision of the transitional Federal Charter but also several International instruments to which Somalia is signatory" added Ahmed kiimiko, The Focal point of East and Horn of Africa Human Rights Defenders Network for Somalia and Chairman of SOHRIDEN.

SOHRIDEN calls the Transitional Federal Government to consider the 1998 UN declaration on the Rights and the Responsibility of Individuals, Groups and Organs of Society to Promote and Protect Universally Recognized Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms that defines clearly the rights towards authorities. The Government should lift the ban from the closed radio station ( Shabeelle ,Simba, Banadir) in Mogadishu and allow them unconditionally to resume their operations.

" It is one of the Basic Human Rights and we don't know why the international community are watching and taking suitable actions to intervene the worsening situation of Somali freedom of media' said AFgoie , a journalist and news Editor of Shabelle now living in Nairobi.


SOHRIDEN calls the transitional Federal government to respect Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) which rightly states " Every one has the right to freedom of opinion and expression ; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek , receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers … herein lies the inalienable freedom of the press" Concluded Ahmed Kiimiko , The focal point of EHAHRD-Net for Somalia.


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Human Rights Reporting Office
Somali Human Rights Defenders Network (SOHRIDEN)
Human Rights House
Talex Street, Hodan District,
Mogadishu, Somalia.
Tel: +2525-9-29027/+252-1-227272
Email: sohriden.gmail.com ,
info.shrdefenders.org
shrdefenders.globalsom.com
URL: www.shrdefenders.org

--
Human Rights Reporting Office
Somali Human Rights Defenders Network (SOHRIDEN)
Human Rights House
Talex Street, Hodan District,
Mogadishu, Somalia.
Tel: +2525-9-29027/+252-1-227272
Email: sohriden.gmail.com ,
info.shrdefenders.org
shrdefenders.globalsom.com
URL: www.shrdefenders.org