BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT
Based on IFEX member reports from National Union of Somali Journalists , Committee to Protect Journalists
It’s been a month and a half since two independent newspapers were shut down in the semi-autonomous republic of Somaliland. On 7 April 2014, police occupied the offices of Haatuf newspaper and its sister publication, The Somaliland Times, in the capital, Hargeisa.
The closures came shortly after the newspapers had published articles that allegedly insulted government officials, and soon snowballed into the arrest of Yusuf Abdi Gabobe, chairman of the Haatuf Media Network, and Ahmed Ali, chief editor of the network.
These events have not occurred in a vacuum. In the past few years, authorities in Somaliland have increasingly cracked down on media outlets that criticise the authorities, or report on sensitive issues such as corruption.
In the accompanying podcast, representatives from two IFEX member organisations and a group in Somaliland provide context for the recent shutdown of Haatuf and The Somaliland Times, and consider how and if the trend can be reversed.
The podcast features perspectives from the following individuals:
– Omar Faruk Osman, Secretary-General of the National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ)
– Tom Rhodes, East Africa consultant for the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ)
– Mohamed Abdi Gulied (Curad), Vice-Chairman of the Somaliland Journalist Association (SOLJA)
Audio Transcript
Caro Rolando: It’s been a month and a half since police shut down two independent newspapers in Somaliland. On 7 April, police occupied the offices of Haatuf newspaper and its sister publication, The Somaliland Times, in the capital Hargeisa.
Omar Faruk Osman: The uniformed commander, with his own army, came into the place saying, “Look, we have this call to order, and we are shutting you down. Go out of the building.”
CR: That’s Omar Faruk Osman. He’s the secretary-general of the National Union of Somali Journalists, or NUSOJ, which monitors and conducts investigations into violations of press freedom and human rights of journalists. His organisation has been following the shutdown in Somaliland since it began last month. It’s important to note that NUSOJ is based in Somalia, not Somaliland.
