Journalists and lawyers in Somalia are urging for more support to help them stand up and resist abuses from the state.
Members of the two professions held a forum in Mogadishu on Thursday.
During the forum, they called for increased empowerment of people working in the media to increase awareness of their rights.
Goobjoog Media Group organized the forum jointly with Garmaal Law Firm.
Participants noted that the state now arrests, intimidates, and frustrates journalists and lawyers without any due consideration.
Furthermore, they also agreed that gross abuses by state apparatuses, including security agencies, have increased substantially in the recent past.
The participants determined that the best solution is to seek and obtain more support to stand up against the state.
Hassan Mohamud, the Director of Goobjoog Media Group, stated that the one-day training is critical for empowering participants with knowledge on their rights.
He urged journalists to know their rights better in the face of mounting abuses by the state.