Somalia has not had a power full central government for close to two decades but has had a week and no effective government. Mostly there is no press freedom in Somalia and freedom of expression particularly south and central regions and Somali journalists are struggling to do their jobs in one of the most dangerous places in the world and difficult to work as a journalist.

In this year 2009 five (5) journalists have been killed, seven others wounded while some others forced to fleeing their jobs when received phone calls from the armed groups against the National Unity Government of Somalia and the last recent killed was Mukhtar Mohamed Hirabe, who was the director of Shabelle radio based in Mogadishu.

A shocking two things in this year 2009 was the killing of Hornafric director Said Tahlil Ahmed while he was on his way for press conference to Al-shabaab group at that day Said accompanied by other media directors and some Alshabaab militias as guards but did nothing when Said was killed.

The other thing was the attack of radio Abudwak director Hassan Bulhan Ali while attending a reconciliation meeting between two rival clans on 7 February in Abudwak district and the attacker stabbed Hassan five (5) times in the chest and backside in the abdominal cavity.

In the light of the above, attacks on journalists violate their fundamental rights to freedom of expression and press and it deliberate attempt to silence the most important information revealing human rights violations by all parts to the conflict in Somalia

While this is exist, the Somali Journalists’ Rights Agency (SOJRA) calls for Islamic groups to protect the young Somali journalists who are decided to work on this hard circumstances.

SOJRA is kindly requesting to all Somali Islamic groups to take all necessary steps to ensure compliance with International Human Rights Law by the following these two items;

1- Halting death threats through phone calls and text messaging.

2- Facilitate their access of information by permitting full freedom of movement without feeling for constant fear of reprisal and harassments.

For the past three years and more journalists and media professionals in Somalia are among the people whose life is largely put in a dangerous situation.

SOJRA’s monitoring and observation sector (MOS) which systemically monitors and reports attacks on journalists is very power fully conveys the many dangerous that Somali journalists face on a regular basis.

Press Release fro Women Journalists Inaction (WOJA)

Ref: 00134
Date: 07/06/ 09

Subject: Condemn
Women Journalist in Action (WOJA) extends condolence to the family, friends, and Somali media workers for the killing of Mukhtar Mohamed Hirabe, Director of Shabelle Radio and TV in Mogadishu, Somalia.

Somalia is the worst of the worst environments for broadcasters. Today Sunday morning (June 7) Shabelle Radio and TV director Mukhtar Mohamed Hirabe was gunned down by “unknown” assailants, according to local reports.

Program Director Ahmed Tajir was also shot and was taken to hospital in critical condition.

Two Radio Shabelle reporters were killed this year in separate incidents. Hirabe survived a February assassination attempt in the same Bakaro market district of Mogadishu that claimed the life of Radio HornAfrik director Said Tahlil Ahmed.

We have been appealing to political groups to end the killing of media people, but no group listened.
Now is the time for the international community to take urgent actions instead of issuing statements expressing its distress and condemnation.

The condemnation signed by
The coordinator of Women Journalist in Action WOJA
Sahra Mohamud Koronto (Keef)

Islamists in Somali continues media transgressions shabelle radio director shot dead in Bakara Market to day

Ajournalist Muktaar Mohamed Hirabe 42 was shot dead to day in Bakara Market and other journalist of Shabelle radio Ahmed Taajir was also injured.

The Islamist organizations in Somalia are now a day seems that they adopted damaging of the Somali journalist and the foreign journalists coming to the country.

SOJRA monitoring and observation confirmed to day the releasing of Universal TV director Ibrahim Mohamed Hussein who was abducted on 02 June but SOJRA worry the healthof the Journalist Ibrahim Mohamed Hussien whom was the director of the universal TV for the south and central of Somalia.

It was June 03 2009 when the Islamist organization of Ahlusunnah wal jama’ah ordered to the horn of Africa reporter in Galgudud region not to release any news concerning the areas that they control otherwise they will be arrested and this is an other obstacle of existing real situation of the human rights in the region where there is a war going on in the region between them and the religious organization of ALshebab.

The same with that the Alshebab organization is terrorizing to the media whose spokesperson said that from the media call us our name a name he mentioned otherwise stop talking about the whole situation of Somalia no media can dare to say alshebab only otherwise they will face from us a very bad punishment this was on May 21 2009.

Alshabaab’s terrorizing to the media was also understood from one of it’s heads speech while he was speaking from the media of the horn of Afric radio named Maalin Hashi.

However, all this are against and obstacles to the journalism and the democracy and it do not seem that it will end up in a short time.

Finally SOJRA is calling to the international community to keep the eyes for those religious organizations damaging the journalists and to bring them in front of an international justice for the near coming future.