Somali journalists concerned over new police directive gagging media

By Magdalene Mukami

MOGADISHU, Somalia (AA) – The Somali Journalists Syndicate (SJS) said Monday it is troubled by a new police directive aimed at gagging journalists.

In a statement, the SJS said it is “concerned about the new instructions issued by Somali police spokesman Major Abdifatah Adan Hassan threatening legal action against any reporter "that reports anything beyond issues called for that day. We call on the Somali police force to intervene and withdraw the new instruction imposed by its spokesman.”

The SJS termed the directive as not only illegitimate but said it also poses a threat to the work of journalists covering police operations amid increased criminal and terrorist activities in the capital Mogadishu.

The SJS and the Somali Media Association (SOMA) also called for authorities in Somaliland to halt the threats and harassment against British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) staff and journalists in the capital Hargeisa, the unconditional release of five members of the BBC Media Action team arbitrarily detained in Hargeisa on Saturday, and allowing the BBC to resume operations.

“We condemn the arbitrary detention of the five BBC Media Action staff on Saturday and the closure of their office in Hargeisa. All of them were doing their job legally, and there is no reason to justify the detention of these five media staff,” said Abdalle Ahmed Mumin, the secretary-general of the SJS.

Somalia’s breakaway region of Somaliland has banned the BBC from operating in its territory, citing the British public broadcaster's refusal to recognize the territory as a democratic republic.

Somaliland has suspended BBC Somali, VOA Somali and other media outlets in the past, charging them with breaching sovereignty and denying Somaliland's existence.