Regional Human Rights Office condemns the vanishing of media freedom in Somalia

Date: Mon, 27 Jun 2005 21:50:10 +0400
From: Somalia Alerts <alerts@sojonsomalia.org>
Reply-To: faruk129@yahoo.com
Subject: Press Statement: Regional Human Rights Office condemns the
vanishing of media freedom in Somalia

Regional Human Rights Office condemns the vanishing of media freedom in Somalia

27/06/2005

The media freedom in Somalia is in critical speculation following the recent
killings of two women journalists in Mogadishu, arrests of Puntland editor and
reporters, suspension of leading newspaper in Garowe and the latest act from
the middle Shabelle region, which obliged journalists to register and pay
registration fee to practice the profession.

“The recent reports from Somalia about the media violations are painful and
deplorable intrusions” said Hassan Shire Sheik, the coordinator of regional
office for the East and Horn of Africa Human Rights Defenders Project in
Kampala, Uganda.

In a meeting with human rights defenders from Sudan, horn Africa team and
officials from Amnesty International in London, the veteran and renowned Somali
human rights activist will lead the East and Horn of Africa Human Rights
Defenders Project, which is dedicated to protecting and monitoring the safety
of human rights defenders in east Africa.

"I've a personal commitment to assist my fellow human rights defenders in the
region," said Hassan Shire, who is also a founder and former co-director of the
Dr. Ismail Juma'le Human Rights Organization (DIJHRO) based in Mogadishu,
Somalia. “As human rights activists, we have to defend the journalists, and
show them sense of solidarity” said Hassan in discussions with the Secretary
General of the Somali Journalists Network, Omar Faruk Osman.

“Press freedom is keystone for all freedoms, therefore if it is slowed down it
means that all other freedoms are hindered” he added. “Every one of us should
applaud the good work that journalists in SOJON are carrying out”. “My last
time in Somalia, it was very uncommon to report or get detailed information on
violations against journalists’ freedom, thank to SOJON”.

In addition, Hassan’s coordination work of the Kampala office aims to support
human rights defenders in Somalia (and Somaliland), Djibouti, Eritrea,
Ethiopia, Sudan, Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania. Hassan’s mandate is also to
provide training and protection for human rights defenders in danger, help them
relocate to safer parts of Africa, and publicize their plight.

Human rights defenders lobby governments, try to raise awareness about and
fight abuses of human rights, as laid out in the United Nations Universal
Declaration of Human Rights. They may belong to human rights groups, churches,
women's or development organizations or simply be outspoken individuals in a
community. Whoever they are, they risk retaliation and too often are forced to
flee Africa when they dare to expose human rights violations in their community
or state.

He has helped to monitor and publish impartial reports on human rights
violations in Somalia for the last 8 years. He has promoted human rights
campaigns such as the 50th anniversary of the Universal Declaration for Human
Rights (UDHR) in Somalia.

Hassan is also a member of the All Africa Human Rights Defenders Network, the
Global Human Rights Defenders Network, and the World Movement for Democracy.
He was the former president of the Peace and Human Rights Network in Somalia,
an umbrella group of 24 prominent Somali civil society organizations.

In 1998, the right to promote and protect human rights and a fundamental
freedom was officially recognized by the United Nations when it unanimously
adopted the Declaration of Human Rights Defenders.

This project, a York-initiated project, was initially funded by Amnesty
International, INTER PARES and the International Development Research Centre
and continues to be supported with funds from the National Endowment for
Democracy (based in Washington, D.C.) and the International Development
Research Centre, based in Ottawa.

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Press Freedom Monitoring
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This information is disseminated by the SOJON Information and Human Rights
Office as part of the office’s roles of monitoring violations of freedom of
press in Somalia.

SOJON takes the responsibility of the information expressed inside this mail,
and any organization, union or group is allowed to recopy or republish this
information.

CONTACT: Omar Faruk Osman (the Secretary General), Ali Moalim Isak
(the Secretary of Information and Human Rights) and Mohamed Ibrahim Isak (the
secretary of Administration); E-mails: faruk129@yahoo.com,
omar@sojonsomalia.org, ali@sojonsomalia.org, bakistaan2002@yahoo.com,
bakistaan@sojonsomalia.org. Telefax: +252-1-859944.
URL: http://www.sojonsomalia.org