The Somaliland government announced in a communiqué today that the two TV channels, SBS and SOMNews, were banned from broadcasting for being "involved in political campaigns” and for not maintaining "the neutrality they are supposed to observe” in their coverage of protests in Las Anod, the capital of the disputed Sool region in the southeastern part of Somaliland.

Reporters Without Borders calls on the authorities in Somalia’s breakaway northwestern region of Somaliland to stop harassing privately-owned media outlets that are covering its territorial dispute with its eastern neighbor, Somalia’s semi-autonomous Puntland region. Two TV channels have been closed and several journalists have been arrested, RSF said in statement on Tuesday.

The National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ) condemns the ban of Tvs and detention of journalists on

In February CPJ calls on Somaliland's president to prioritize press freedom. In a letter sent to Somaliland President His Excellency Muse Bihi Committee to Protect Journalist said "We at the Committee to Protect Journalists, an independent press freedom organization, urge your administration to free imprisoned journalists and ensure that all news outlets can publish freely”

"The Decision to ban the television’s activities in Las Anod is a
violation to the press freedom and the freedom of expression which is
enshrined in the Somaliland constitution and is unacceptable term.”
Mahir Jama Aden, President of the National Union of Somali
Journalists said on Tuesday, "We demand from Somaliland government to
unconditionally lift the ban and give respect to the media freedoms.”

"The ban not only threatens Somali Chanel but also the whole media in
Somalialnd deemed critical to the administration.” Mahir added.

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