FESOJ condemns closure of private TV station in Somaliland

The Federal Union of the Somali Journalists (FESOJ) denounced the closure by authorities in Somaliland of a privately-owned Universal TV’s office in Hargeisa on 27 June 2020.

According to Mohamed Abi Digale, the office’s director who spoke to FESOJ by phone, the security forces forced their way into their compound while the station was broadcasting live coverage and ordered it to shut down.
According to Digale, the closure of their station by an anti-terrorism unit was conducted without any legal warrant.
“They arrived and ordered the live broadcasts to stop, TV to shut down and also told all the staff to leave the premises immediately.” he said.

Meanwhile, Saleban Yusuf Ali (koore) Somaliland’s information minister told BBC’s Somali Service that insisted that the decision to close down the television station was enforced due to its failure to broadcast a speech that the Somaliland president Muse Bihi delivered at an event marking the 60th anniversary when Somaliland took its independence from the British protectorate on 26 June 1960.

“We condemn the closure of Universal TV office in Hargeisa, and this shows how the Somaliland government is pressurizing the independent media, in the eyes of the public that could affect journalists’ work to provide people in Somaliland with balanced information” Mohamed Ibrahim Moalimuu, the secretary general of FESOJ said.

“Journalists must be free to report such events – This is a disturbing heavy-handed censorship against the freedom of the press by Somaliland, considering the recent arbitrary arrests and harassment against journalists, therefore we call on the government of Somaliland to respect the freedom of the press and the freedom of expression in general” Moalimuu added.

The closure of the Universal TV’s office is the latest in wave of attacks and harassment against journalists in Somalia.

Somaliland police raided and shut down the privately-owned Star TV headquarters in Hargeisa. No reason has been given for the suspension of the station

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