Amnesty International has said that journalists in Somalia are “under attack.” It said the journalists endure bombings, arrests, attacks, and endless beatings.
For years, Somalia has been rightly described as one of the riskiest and most unsafe places for journalists to work.
The fact that journalists’ work requires them to report on conflicts and all manner of draconian restrictions employed by authorities make them vulnerable to attacks, arrests, and murder.
Amnesty says the situation is getting worse for journalists in the Horn of Africa nation. It detailed all this in a report called “We Live in Perpetual Fear.”
The report says, “We have noticed a surge in harassment and violent attacks against journalists in Somalia. Threats and intimidation have also increased exponentially.”
In the report, Amnesty says the increase in violence meted out against local journalists entrenches Somalia’s reputation as one of the riskiest places for journalists.
Amnesty has called on the Federal Government of Somalia to work to improve the environment to enable journalists to work in safety, peace, and security.