embattled radio station threatened with arbitrary eviction
Last Updated : GMT 09:07:40
Egypt Today, egypt today
Egypt Today, egypt today
Last Updated : GMT 09:07:40
Egypt Today, egypt today

Embattled radio station threatened with arbitrary eviction

Egypt Today, egypt today

Egypt Today, egypt today Embattled radio station threatened with arbitrary eviction

London - Arab Today

Reporters Without Borders is extremely worried by the interior ministry’s harassment of Radio Shabelle and the organization that operates it, Shabelle Media Network, which received a letter from the ministry on 20 October giving it five days to vacate its premises. “This ministerial order has no specific legal basis and is entirely arbitrary,” Reporters Without Borders said. “Evicting Radio Shabelle will not only curtail freedom of information in Somalia even more but also endanger its journalists and other employees, many of whom live in the station’s premises to protect themselves from individual attack. “Only today we learned that Universal TV journalist Mohamed Mohamud Tima’ade was the victim of a shooting in the Mogadishu neighbourhood of Madina and is now in hospital in a critical condition with six gunshot injuries. The extreme dangers of journalism in Somalia no longer need demonstrating.” Reporters Without Borders added: “Evicting Radio Shabelle would expose its employees to the same risks. We call on the Somali government to implement its constitutional and international obligations to protect journalists and respect freedom of opinion and information.” The interior ministry letter to Shabelle Media Network argues that the building it currently uses was formerly occupied by the Somali national airline and should therefore revert to the government. The eviction order violates a 2010 agreement under which the transitional government’s transport ministry gave Shabelle Media Network permission to use the building until 2015 in return for its rehabilitation. Located in a relatively safe area, close to Mogadishu airport, the building not only houses Radio Shabelle’s studios but also provides accommodation for many of the station’s employees, for whom living in any other part of the city is too dangerous because of the constant threats to the news media. The sudden eviction order, which is tantamount to a closure order, may have been prompted by a series of Radio Shabelle reports about a decline in the security situation in Mogadishu. Other radio stations housed in state-owned buildings have not received similar eviction orders. Radio Shabelle is one of Somalia’s few really independent news outlets. Its staff have succeeded in continuing to act professionally amid a great deal of tension and have not succumbed to any political or religious influences. In 2010, it received the Reporters Without Borders-FNAC Press Freedom Prize in recognition of the entire staff’s work and courage. Repeatedly targeted by the Islamist militias Al-Shabaab and Hizb-Al-Islam for refusing to serve as their mouthpieces, Radio Shabelle has paid a high price for its commitment to media freedom. Ten of its journalists have been killed since 2007 and 15 of its employees have been injured, attacked or arrested since 2009. The station has also been blocked or censored six times. Article 18 of Somalia’s constitution guarantees freedom of expression and opinion. The government is a party to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and gave several explicit undertakings to protect journalists and news media during its Universal Periodic Review by the UN Human Rights Council in 2011. Somalia is ranked 175th out of 179 countries in the 2013 Reporters Without Borders press freedom index. Source: RSF

egypttoday
egypttoday

Name *

E-mail *

Comment Title*

Comment *

: Characters Left

Mandatory *

Terms of use

Publishing Terms: Not to offend the author, or to persons or sanctities or attacking religions or divine self. And stay away from sectarian and racial incitement and insults.

I agree with the Terms of Use

Security Code*

embattled radio station threatened with arbitrary eviction embattled radio station threatened with arbitrary eviction



GMT 13:17 2017 Saturday ,01 April

New podcast 'S-Town'

GMT 11:32 2017 Wednesday ,22 March

Radio, TV production in focus

GMT 12:02 2017 Monday ,20 March

Launch of Talal AbuGhazaleh Business

GMT 18:35 2017 Wednesday ,01 March

NRJ Radio to be Launched in Morocco

GMT 12:51 2017 Saturday ,25 February

Pop music ban a hit with Bulgarian radio audience

GMT 01:13 2017 Friday ,24 February

Spain’s PM falls prey to practical joke on radio

GMT 15:49 2011 Friday ,10 June

Oil firm wins injunction against Greenpeace

GMT 10:27 2015 Monday ,06 July

Mini to launch ‘Clubman’ in 2016

GMT 17:21 2011 Wednesday ,23 February

Lampard Desperate To Win The Champions League

GMT 10:13 2018 Tuesday ,09 January

Barcelona to unveil 160m Coutinho

GMT 23:03 2017 Monday ,16 January

Bank of Korea: Money Production Cost Rise in 2016

GMT 20:33 2011 Friday ,06 May

Asad\'s army arrests all men over 15 in Daraa

GMT 11:55 2011 Tuesday ,29 November

Ultrabooks could save the PC

GMT 13:02 2012 Saturday ,01 September

Zombies and Morons compete

GMT 07:31 2017 Tuesday ,20 June

Sisi keen on attaining unity

GMT 11:50 2015 Saturday ,26 September

The Library of Fragrance announces January launches

GMT 06:28 2014 Saturday ,18 October

Asian Junior Volleyball tourney kicks off in Bahrain
 
 Egypt Today Facebook,egypt today facebook  Egypt Today Twitter,egypt today twitter Egypt Today Rss,egypt today rss  Egypt Today Youtube,egypt today youtube  Egypt Today Youtube,egypt today youtube

Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2021 ©

Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2021 ©

egypttoday egypttoday egypttoday egypttoday
egypttoday egypttoday egypttoday
egypttoday
بناية النخيل - رأس النبع _ خلف السفارة الفرنسية _بيروت - لبنان
egypttoday, Egypttoday, Egypttoday