Amnesty International recently published a report that exposed the poor state of the press in Somalia. It stated that aside from the al-Qaeda-linked militants targetting journalists, government security forces also targets the press. Amnesty further reports that there have been rampant killings, arbitrary arrests and violent attacks on journalists.

According to a statement by Deprose Muchena, Amnesty International’s Director for East and Southern Africa, “Somali journalists are under siege.” He mentioned that “from barely surviving explosive-wired cars, being shot, beaten up and arbitrarily arrested, journalists are working in horrifying conditions.”

The report also stated that since Somalia’s President Mohamed Abdullahi, also known as Farmajo, began his reign in 2017, press freedom had seen a rapid decline. His government has resorted to using heavy-handed techniques to suppress media freedom and the right to freedom of expression in general.   

It was also included that the government employs new techniques to bribe media outlets to engage in self-censorship, with the aim of getting positive media coverage. Their strategies include online harassment, intimidation and social media manipulation.

Somalia foremost on the list of countries where those who kill journalists are never prosecuted by the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ). Attempts at rebuilding Somalia have been disrupted by internal crisis and attacks by al-Shabaab militants who want to impose their own version of Sharia law on the country.

In Somalia, Female journalists find it more difficult to operate due to patriarchal values that are deeply rooted in Al-Shabaabideologies, government institutions and places of employment.

The rights organisation, however,  called on the government to respect, protect, promote and fulfil the right to freedom of expression, and media freedom in the Somalis. Especially before, during and after the election that is expected to hold in the country in 2021. It urged the government to provide a conducive and safe environment for journalists and other media practitioners to enable them to make reports on sensitive and public interest-related issues.