Originally posted by the Voice of America.
Voice of America content is produced by the Voice of America,
a United States federal government-sponsored entity, and is in
the public domain.


Being a Journalist is Risky Business in Somalia

Mohamed Olad Hassan

   Journalists in Somalia routinely face many difficulties but this year,
   under the stress of the spread of COVID-19, they say feel even more
   threatened by intimidation and arrest by what they call hostile
   leaders.

   Cautiously celebrating World Press Freedom Day, a number of Somali
   journalists and journalists' rights activists shared their experiences
   with the VOA Somali service.

   "Somalia has always been a hostile environment for journalists but this
   year the situation was extreme as authorities stepped up their
   intimidation of journalists and specially this time when our country
   faces the spread of the novel coronavirus," said Mohamed Ibrahim
   Moalimu, secretary general of the Federation of Somali Journalists.

   Moalimu says three journalists were arbitrarily detained in different
   parts of Somalia. Two of them were accused of various crimes, and a
   local radio station was barred from broadcasting in a local dialect
   since mid-April 2020.

.