Photo/Somali Times
According to Reporters without Borders Somalia continues to be one of the most dangerous countries in Africa for media personnel, with three more journalists killed in 2019, bringing the total killed in the past ten years to 50. Political violence and corruption undermine the freedom to inform in Somalia.
The pressure on journalists can come from many quarters, especially as much of the country is controlled by non-state entities or by autonomous regional governments that either do not or only barely recognize the central government’s authority.
This year’s World Press Freedom Day, “Journalism Without Fear or Favor”, is not only apt but also timely. is saddened to observe a climate of extreme fear within the journalists’ community as attacks on journalists through killing, arbitrary detention, malicious arrests, prosecution or brutal physical assaults, arbitrary confiscation of equipment negatively impact on their ability to gather and objectively impart information without fear or favour.
This week unveiled the 2020 World Press Freedom Index that has been published every year since 2002 and is compiled to evaluate the state of journalism in 180 countries and territories.
This year’s index shows that the future of African journalism in 21 countries is under threat, with those who produce news and information working in difficult conditions. The index looks at pluralism levels, media independence, the environment and self-censorship, legal frameworks, transparency and the quality of the infrastructure that supports news production.