UN Human Rights Council: 33rd session Oral Statement by DefendDefenders (the East and Horn of Africa Human Rights Defenders Project) and CIVICUS.
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Thursday September 29, 2016 - 20:02:49 in English News by
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28 September 2016
Delivered by Renate Bloem
Thank you Mr President.
CIVICUS and the East and Horn of Africa Human Rights Defenders Project thank the Independent Expert on Somalia for his report.
As Somalia prepares for its electoral process later this year, we take this opportunity to welcome steps taken by the government to strengthen its human rights framework in preparation for the election.
For more information, please contact
While recognising this progress, we call on Somali authorities to make aconcerted effort to
address
undue restrictions on freedom of expression. In particular, we call on
Somalia to ensure that government officials’ threats and intimidation of
media workers are swiftly and effectively investigated. In June 2016,
Puntland Ministry of Information issued a directive restricting
journalists from interviewing persons linked to pirates and terrorists,
and in an audio recording, the Minister of Informationthreatened to use force and to kill journalistswho violate the order. Although
Al Shabaab has claimed responsibility for the majority of violations
committed against media workers, the Government should cease its
practice of closing radio stations and arresting journalists deemed
critical.
Media
workers have expressed concern that broad provisions in the new media
law, signed by the president in January 2016, are likely to prompt
self-censorship. We call on the government of Somalia to ensure that all
of its laws, including the media law, are in line with its
international and regional obligations.
Election
periods present heightened challenges for media workers. Journalists
will play a critical role in informing the public during Somalia’s
electoral process, on top of their challenging coverage of the conflict.
We echo the independent expert’s view that the role played by the media
in Somalia is critical and indispensable as Somalia builds peace and
democracy and consolidates the State, and should be protected and
promoted by the State.
We
therefore strongly urge the government to take effective and meaningful
steps to implement the important recommendations put forward during its
recent Universal Periodic Review examination and ensure the creation of
a safe and enabling environment for media workers and human rights
defenders during the upcoming electoral process.
I thank you.
For more information, please contact
| Hassan Shire Executive Director, East and Horn of Africa Human Rights Defenders Project executive@defenddefenders.org or +256 772 753 753 (English and Somali) Clementine de Montjoye Advocacy & Research Officer, East & Horn of Africa Human Rights Defenders Project on advocacy@defenddefenders.org or +256 752 183 305 (English and French) East and Horn of Africa Human Rights Defenders Project DefendDefenders seeks to strengthen the work of human rights defenders throughout the region by reducing their vulnerability to the risk of persecution and by enhancing their capacity to effectively defend human rights. DefendDefenders focuses its work on Burundi, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Somalia (together with Somaliland), South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda. Visit us at www.defenddefenders.org  |
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UN Human Rights Council: 33rd session Oral Statement by DefendDefenders (the East and Horn of Africa Human Rights Defenders Project) and CIVICUS.
28 September 2016 Delivered by Renate Bloem Thank you Mr President. CIVICUS and the East and Horn of Africa Human Rights Defenders Project thank the Independent Expert on Somalia for his report. As Somalia prepares for its electoral process later