*FESOJ held the sixth-panel discussion on press freedom in Jowhar city, Hirshabelle State

Jowhar city, Wednesday, December 7, 2022: The Federation of Somali Journalists (FESOJ) has conducted the sixth and the last series of panel discussions held at the major regional cities of Somalia, focusing on promoting press freedom in Somalia.

In his opening remarks, Farah Omar Nur, the Secretary General of FESOJ, pointed out the aim is to address the challenges against the journalists in the aspect of safety and accessing information awaited by the public and freedom of expression.
"The Hirshabelle State emphasises freedom of expression, and we appreciate FESOJ and UNSOM for conducting and supporting the debate event.”Abdishakur Shashaa, Deputy Information Minister of Hirshabelle State, said in his opening speech. Speech
This panel discussion, supported by UNSOM, aimed to find out and address the challenges preventing press freedom, the safety of journalists and how the journalists access to information for transfer to the public interest.
The Jowhar District Governor, the Commander of Jowhar Police Station, members of the Judiciary, the Civil Society and journalists were the key participants in the panel discussion.
Marian Sheikh Abdi, a female journalist working for the media for a long time, has been moderating the panel discussion proceedings.
Bashir Hassan Kalfoy, Jowhar Police Station Commander, who was asked why the police detain and beat journalists said the police do not target journalists; most of them understand each other, but when it comes to journalists besides the news, when they want something else from you; they twist the story.
Osman Mohamed Mukhtar Baareey, Governor of Jowhar District, who has mostly shared debate with the journalists, has defended that his administration has respect for the journalists. Still, some of the journalists themselves created the problem and said we do not abuse the journalists.
Fartun Ahmed Mohamed from the civil society said that journalists are important for the community since they share the information they access with the public.

The journalists operating in Hirshabelle State taking part in the panel discussion have raised hard questions with the sitting panellists relating that they face difficulties at the police checkpoints, such as their Identity Cards are not considered and denied passage at the internal control checkpoints of the city.
The journalists indicated many times, they are subjected to detention without going through the legal process.

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