On November 1st, with the assistance of the European Union (EU) NUSOJ conducted one-day training workshop on Risk Assessment and Reach for Journalists, Collection of Violations and Impunity Cases in Preparation of November 2 - Day, 2018 in Mogadishu, Somalia and attended by 18 journalists from different media outlets. See attached pictures of the training.

The specific objectives of the training program were:-

▪	To assess and improve the view of the journalist on the safety of the journalists.

▪	The need of safety for the journalists on duty at the work place.

▪	The need for photojournalists to perform in low profile as some people detest being photographed and show more vigilance

▪	To prepare for drawing the attention of the Somalia government and the public on the importance of the International Day to end the Impunity for Crimes against Journalists (IDEI) 2018.

▪	To raise the concerns of the Somalia media and journalists over the need to improve the press freedom of expression and protection of the safety of the media and the journalists.

▪	To raise awareness on the significance of solving cases of killed journalists in order to reinforce the rule of law and stop the culture of impunity .

On November 2nd

NUSOJ organized a TV debate involving key stakeholders from the civil society, some journalists who had been abused, tortured or detained without legal or due proceedings.

The purpose of the debate was to create public awareness on the significance of freedom of speech and how it was necessary to maintain a common consciousness of journalists’s safety.

The debate on Goobjoog TV was initially planned to be one hour, but because of the interest of the debate, the presenter of the program added extra time as participants were keen to contribute to the debate.

A well known civil society activist in Somalia Abdullahi Mohamed Shirwa who was among the panellist said "The violations against journalists in Somalia has to end, and the only way is for the Federal Government and all other Federal Members States to make ending impunity an absolute priority. This means ensuring judicial follow-up. It means strengthening laws, training legislators and law enforcement agencies. It means ensuring quality journalist education and supporting media organisation, including measures that protect individual and freelance journalists,”

You can watch the whole TV debate here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JcCRUr1ThWQ&t=726s

On the same day, November 2nd ,NUSOJ issued a press statement titled "Somalia Leaders must do more to end impunity and crimes against Somali journalists.” The statement was widely covered by the local and international media . See below links.

https://allafrica.com/stories/201811020283.html

http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2018-11/02/c_137577195.htm
http://sunnewsonline.com/somalia-urged-to-end-violence-against-journalists/
https://www.today.ng/news/africa/somalia-urged-violence-journalists-167569
https://election.org.ng/nigeria/somalia-urged-to-end-violence-against-journalists/
http://www.tekk.tv/news/somalia-aufgefordert-die-gewalt-gegen-journalisten-zu-beenden/
https://en.halbeeg.com/2018/11/02/somali-media-watchdog-calls-for-action-to-end-violence-against-journalists/
https://www.radiodalsan.com/en/2018/11/01/somali-leaders-must-do-more-to-end-impunity-and-crimes-against-journalists/
http://hornobserver.com/articles/909/Somalia-Leaders-must-do-more-to-end-impunity-and-crimes-against-Somali-journalists
https://www.jowhar.com/english-news/somali-leaders-must-do-more-to-end-impunity-and-crimes-against-journalists.html5
https://somalitopnews.com/2018/11/03/somalia-urged-to-end-violence-against-journalists/
http://somaliweyn.org/2018/11/01/somali-leaders-must-do-more-to-end-impunity-and-crimes-against-journalists.

THE MAIN EVENT ON 3rd OF MAY

The big event to mark International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists, which was highly organized and historic, was attended by 80 invited participants, among them journalists, Somali civil society representatives, Somali youth leaders, local media organizations , Somali lawmakers and Minister of Information ,Culture and Tourism of Federal Government of Somalia and the Director General of the Ministry .

Minister of Information ,Culture and Tourism of Federal Government of Somalia and Director General of the Ministry His Excellence Dahir Mohamud Geelle who addressed at the event said "The Ministry of Information and the Federal Government of Somalia is against Somali journalist being harmed ,intimidated and killed . We are committed to ending any violent acts against the media workers and I believe that one day criminals who harm the Somali journalists, will be arrested and brought to justice,"

"The Ministry of Information this year issued a report on the journalists killed in the country and the actions taken to prevent impunity by the perpetrators and shared with UNESCO, likewise the government of Somalia is fully supporting the establishment of National Mechanisms for the safety of Journalists in the region, as part of the implementation of the Nairobi Declaration (2017) and to build strategic partnerships and dialogue with the East African Judiciaries on safety of journalists” Minster Geelle said.

Farah Omar Nur, NUSOJ Training Secretary whose opening remarks noted the names of the killed journalists has emphasized the importance of the day as a channel of seeking protection for the endangered Somali journalists.
"Somalia remains to be the world’s most dangerous place for journalists and that clearly exemplifies how significant the government and local authorities to be part of the efforts to safeguard journalists.” He added. "The governments officials must bear in mind that if there is no safety for journalists, there won’t be a safer society.”

The event attendees included journalists who were victims themselves and parents of journalists who were killed. Among them was Qasim Iman, the father of Abdifatah Qasim, a young camera operator who was shot dead by a police officer in Mogadishu in late July this year.

Anisa Abdirahman, a female radio journalist who was injured during the 14th October truck bomb in Mogadishu has appealed to the government to take its responsibility in protecting the journalists as part of its citizens.
"We need the government to understand that we are citizens who have the immediate right to get protected as enshrined in the Constitution.” She said.
Other speakers at the event this year was Abdullahi Kilas, a TV reporter who fled from Kismayo last month after he was arrested and tortured by Jubbaland security forces in relation to his work as a journalist.

Kilas spoke about his ordeal in the detention cell in Kismayo where he was kept for several days without any court order.

At the end, the Minister of Information, Culture and Tourism of the Federal Government of Somalia, Dahir Mohamud Gelle who officially concluded the event has underlined that journalists in Somalia face extra safety burden and that he agreed that all forms of crimes against journalists should come to an end.
"Today is an important day. It is possible that we have not yet reached where we want but we are trying to be closer and listen to the concerns of the journalists,” He said.

On Monday NUSOJ members joined members of the media fraternity in mourning the passing of a TV journalist Abdirisaq Adan Qoyslaye with KalsanTV & a former Shabelle radio newscaster who died in Mogadishu on Sunday morning. NUSOJ shared condolences to his family & friends. The late Abdirizak was a passionate NUSOJ member.

Mohamed Ibrahim Moalimuu NUSOJ Secretary General thanked NUSOJ partners for their collaboration and parnership and noted without them NUSOJ couldn't do signficant roles it played to assist the Somali journalists in the past periods.

End