Threats against Somalia photojournalist condemned

The East and Horn of Africa Human Rights Defenders Network (EHAHRD-Net) condemns unnecessary threats against Somali photojournalist, Abdullahi Hassan Ghedi commonly known as Januune. Januune is accused of maliciously taking a photograph of businessman and member of the newly formed Coalition of Counterterrorism and Peace, Bashir Ragge Shirar.

Sources from the National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ) in Mogadishu have reported that following the allegation, the journalist has been receiving messages from Ragge’s supporters threatening his life. NUSOJ is a founding member of the Network.

“Journalists are human rights defenders whose work is important in informing and alerting the public about issues that concern them. One way to do this is through photographs. However, whereas the Network does not condone photographs taken with malice aforethought, which in this case the journalist himself denies, threats against him because of his work are totally uncalled for. Therefore, the Somali government must come out strongly to protect the life of this and other journalists who may be facing undue threats from elements within the public,” says Hassan Shire Sheikh, the Chairperson of EHAHRD-Net.

Such unfortunate threats are sadly not targeted at the said journalist as an individual, but send scare signals to an institution (Media) that is widely viewed worldwide as the forth arm of government-thus the more need for protection. Media freedom to operate is a provision of not only the Somali Transitional Federal Charter, but also international human rights instruments including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), particularly article 19. The article states that, “Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and _expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers […]” herein lies the inalienable freedom of the press.