President Mohamed Farmaajo has pledged to promote press freedom in Somalia in response to the first-ever visit to the country by Reporters Without Borders (RSF).
Development Diaries understands that at least 25 journalists were detained in 2019 in the country – often for several days or even weeks – after being arrested arbitrarily by security operatives.
Fifty journalists have been reportedly killed in the past decade in Somalia. That is nearly half of the total number of journalists killed in all of sub-Saharan Africa in the same period.
During a meeting with the Secretary-General of RSF, Christophe Deloire, President Farmaajo said he agreed on the principle of a moratorium on arrests and detention of journalists in connection with their work.
It was gathered that Head of RSF Africa Desk, Arnaud Froger, and NUSOJ Secretary-General, Omar Faruk, also attended the meeting, which took place in Villa Somalia, the president’s official residence and office.
‘This moratorium will constitute a major step forward for Somali journalists, in a country that has been near the bottom of the World Press Freedom Index for too long’, Deloire said.
‘We urge the president and the entire new Somali government to continue efforts to improve the environment for journalists and encourage the emergence of a free, independent, high quality press’.
As for Somalia’s Minister of Information, Osman Dube, he said, ‘This is a historic and unprecedented commitment that will help to end arbitrary arrests of Somali journalists and their often illegal detention.
‘We will make every efforts to monitor its implementation, which we hope will begin as soon as possible’.
Source: RSF
Photo source: RSF
