Somaliland Journalists Association (SOLJA) led several civil society organizations in the country to protest against media suppressions.
The organizations held an insightful advocacy meeting that focused primarily on the increased violations against media outlets in the Horn of Africa nation.
They spoke out against indiscriminate media suspensions that agents of the state seem to be increasingly carrying out.
At the end of the meeting, Mohamed Abdi Jama, the Chairman of SOLJA, issued a statement that highlighted several points the government needs to implement.
First, the civil society called upon the government to uphold the rights of the press as enshrined in the constitution and several media laws.
Secondly, the organizations demanded the release of the owner of Astaan TV, Abdimanaan Yusuf who was detained illegally for 10 days without being presented in court.
Further, the civil society urged the government to remove its forces who have occupied the premises of Universal TV and Star TV since June 2020.