MOGADISHU, Somalia 03 May 2021 – On 3rd May of every year, events to mark the world press freedom are held across the world.

The Somali Media Association (SOMA) is delighted to take part in the global occasion of celebrating the World Press Freedom Day May 3, 2021. The event serves to acts as reminder to governments of the need to respect the obligation to press freedom.

The World Press Freedom Day would also serve as a day of reflection among media professionals about issues of press freedom and professional ethics. More significantly, the event is a day of support for the media, which are targets for the restraint, or closing down of press freedom.

The WPFD event is also a day of remembrance for those journalists who have been threatened, attacked, intimidated and those who lost their lives in seeking news reports and stories.

This year’s World Press Freedom Day theme "Information as a Public Good” serves as appeal to affirm the importance of valuing information as a public good, and exploring what can be done in the production, distribution and reception of content to strengthen journalism, and to advance transparency and empowerment while leaving no one behind.

The theme is of urgent relevance to all countries across the world. It recognizes the changing communications system that is affecting on our health, our human rights, democracies and sustainable development.

This year, a journalist has been killed in Galkacyo city, Puntland State, more than fourteen journalists were arrested across Somalia either for airing views that upset local administrations or for reporting security incidents authorities wanted to keep quiet.

In addition, lately, Mustaqbal Media Center, member of SOMA media house in Mogadishu has became one of the media stations raided, its journalists staff tortured and equipments confiscated.

Members of the Somali police force known as Haramcad confiscated the radio equipment consisting of computers, laptops, phones and cameras. So far those who have committed that act has not yet been held accountable, they have taken some of the apparatus, while breaking some of the radio equipment.

Furthermore, the forces of Afgoye district authorities arrested Ibrahim Mohamed Mayow Bashka, a correspondent for Dalsan Radio and TV in Afgoye district.

The Afgoye District authorities has summoned the correspondent at their administration center and was informed that he is under arrest without informing him the motive for his detention. So far , the journalist remains in custody after his arrest on May 2, 2021.

Journalist Ibrahim has been detained after presenting news report on Saturday May 1, 2021 on complaints by some of the displaced people in Afgoye district strongly accusing the authorities including the Governor of Afgoye distict and some of his deputies of embezzling food aid from Islamic Relief organization.

All these acts are amounting to threat to the work of journalists, media freedom and the right to freedom of expression.

The Somali Media Association (SOMA), which advocates for the rights of media houses and journalists and free media, is concerned about the rising number of detained journalists and media house raids.

"Open-ended detention of journalists and crackdown on media houses are on the rise lately,” Mohamed Osman Makaran , Chairperson of SOMA said.

In that aspect, the Somalia Media Association (SOMA) is calling the Somalia Federal Government and the Federal Member States to bring this practice to an end, and respect, protect, promote and fulfill the human rights of everyone and media freedom.

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Presently more than 30 operational media outlets consisting of radio and TV stations based in Puntland, Galmudug , Hirshabelle, Banadir, Jubaland and South West of Somalia are united under the SOMA association.