Mogadishu, Somalia, Friday, May 3, 2024: The Somali Media Association (SOMA) has the dignity to take part in the efforts of marking the World Freedom Day May 3, 2024, which is an annual event observed worldwide.
The World Press Freedom Day, the 31st anniversary since the event was proclaimed in 1993, following the recommendation of UNESCO’s General Conference. Since then, 3 May, the anniversary of the Declaration of Windhoek is celebrated worldwide as World Press Freedom Day.
Similarly, the event is a time to encourage and develop initiatives in support of press freedom, and to assess the state of press freedom worldwide. The World Press Freedom Day event is also a day of commemoration for those journalists who have been threatened, attacked, intimidated and those who lost their lives in seeking news reports and stories.
The 2024 theme for World Press Freedom Day is “A Press for the Planet: Journalism in the Face of the Environmental Crisis,” which reflects the need to strengthen the media’s role in addressing the environmental crisis and its consequences.
The journalists are expected to be empowered to provide significant information to the public on environmental issues and connecting local stories to the broader climate crisis.
Furthermore, Mohamed Osman Makaran, Secretary General of the Somali Media Association (SOMA) has pointed out the World Press Freedom Day – May 3, 2024 event focused on strengthening the importance of press Freedom Day in Somalia and to stress environmental issues and their significance to Somalia.
In addition, from May 2023 to May 2024, it was observed that 28 cases of violence against Somali journalists and the killing of three journalists including Ismail Sheikh Khalifa, former Secretary General of SOMA who has died in 10th May 2023 after being injured in car bomb attack, , Abdikarim Ahmed Bulhan , a journalist killed in Abudwak district, Galmudug State in 14 March 2024 and Abdifatah Moalin Qeys , a journalist killed in suicide bomb attack in Mogadishu on October 16,2023 .
Furthermore, there were 20 journalists working at various areas who were subjected with detention, torture, kidnapping and eviction from their area of work. There was also incident of Radio Brava being attacked and staff arrested.
In fact, out of the 28 cases of violence only one case of the journalists Abdikarim Ahmed Bulhan who was killed in Abudwak, Galgadud state has received justice after the man found guilty of his murder was sentenced to death, while most of the journalists are not provided with proper justice.
In addition, we are deeply concerned with the unilateral appointment of the Somalia National Media Council by the Somali government on March 14, 2024, which is unacceptable as its clear violation of the legal provisions outlined in Article 14 of the signed media law.
In that regard, we are appealing to President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud to intervene and refrain from the signing this illegally established media council into a presidential decree, and we urge the President to ensure the law is respected and press freedom is upheld.
In conclusion, on the occasion of the World Press Freedom Day 2024, Mohamed Osman Makaran, the Secretary General of the Somali Media Association (SOMA) restated the importance of this annual celebration, as it provides chance to improve the principles of press freedom, focus on environmental issues and to pay tribute to journalists who have lost their lives and injured in the line of duty.
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