Democracy News

International Press Community Reacts to Censorship of Somali Media
January 12, 2010
By: Randi Zung| Printer Friendly

On December 20, the Puntland Intelligence Service arrested Voice of America reporter Mohamed Yasin Isahaq and detained him in Puntland’s capital city of Garoowe.  According to an article by the Los Angeles Times, Isahaq’s arrest came just days after he reported on the “plight” of internally displaced persons in Somalia.  Isahaq was released on January 6 after being held for seventeen days without being formally charged for a crime.  Earlier in November 2009, Isahaq’s car was fired on by government officials, resulting in a chest wound, at a checkpoint in front of the regional governor’s office.

On December 21, the Radio Voice of Democracy building was destroyed by a mortar attack in Somalia’s capital city, Mogadishu.  The Committee to Protect Journalists reports that local Somali news outlets attributed the destruction to collateral damage caused by fighting between insurgents, government soldiers, and African Union peacekeepers.  In addition to the radio building, mortars also destroyed a broadcasting satellite.  The international community has condemned both instances, stating that the Somali government is trying to censor the news media. 

Voice of America reports that the Committee to Protect Journalists is now waiting for a response from the president of Puntland, Abdirahman Mohamud Farole, after they accused him of ordering acts of “harassment, censorship, detentions, and direct attacks by police officers.”  In August 2009, Isahaq was ordered to stop working for Voice of America, but refused.  Following Isahaq’s defiance, the Puntland government asked for Voice of America news reports to not be broadcasted for one week.  Radio Galkayo Director Hassan Jama was also shot at by Puntland authorities.

Sources:
Committee to Protect Journalists - Somali radio station and TV satellite destroyed
http://cpj.org/2009/12/somali-radio-station-and-tv-satellite-destroyed-on.php

Voice of America - Puntland Cracks Down on Somali, Foreign Outlet Journalists
http://www1.voanews.com/english/news/africa/east/Puntland-Cracks-Down-on-Somali-Foreign-Outlet-Journalists-80969622.html

The Los Angeles Times - Voice of America: Somali reporter released from jail after 17 days
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/wire/sns-ap-us-somalia-voa,0,4240798.story