20 March 2008
The Somali-speaking Writers Centre of International PEN calls on the President of the self-declared state of Somaliland, Dahir Rayale Kahin, to lift the new restrictions he has imposed on the independent media’s accessibility to government-generated information. According to The Somaliland Times (issue 320/8th March, 2008,) sister publication of Haatuf newspaper in Hargeysa, the capital of Somaliland, a new directive by the presidency says “only journalists sanctioned by the minister of Information will be allowed to attend press conferences to be held by the president in his office.”
The directive also says that journalists should carry a press card issued by the minister of Information as a pre-condition for being allowed into the Presidency.
Until now it has been the practice for journalists in Somaliland to obtain press cards from their employers or from one of the two journalists associations in Somaliland.
According to the newspaper and as confirmed by Somali PEN members in Somaliland, the new instructions are in line with the provisions of the draconian Yemeni press law of 1991 that the Somaliland authorities seems to have copied, word for word, from the internet and submitted it last year to the House of Representatives as a draft press law for governing Somaliland’s independent press.
The Somali-speaking Writers Centre of International PEN condemns this new directive against freedom of expression and expresses its solidarity with journalists and writers in Somaliland. We strongly call on President Rayale to lift these new restrictions on the independent media in Somaliland.
Send your appeals to
1. H.E Dahir Rayale Kahin
Fax: +252 213 8324 or +252 252 3848
E-mail: sl_victory@hotmail.com, sl_victory@yahoo.com
Salutation: Dear President
2. Minister of Interior
Mr. Abdillahi Ismail Shabeel
C/o Ministry of Foreign Affairs or the Presidency
Fax: +252 828 3271/ 252 225 3871
E-mail: slforeign@hotmail.com
Salutation: Dear Minister
- - - - - - -
•For Further information please contact us at the Free Expression Committee of the Somali-speaking PEN.
Email: somalipen@gmail.com
The Somali-speaking Writers Centre of International PEN calls on the President of the self-declared state of Somaliland, Dahir Rayale Kahin, to lift the new restrictions he has imposed on the independent media’s accessibility to government-generated information. According to The Somaliland Times (issue 320/8th March, 2008,) sister publication of Haatuf newspaper in Hargeysa, the capital of Somaliland, a new directive by the presidency says “only journalists sanctioned by the minister of Information will be allowed to attend press conferences to be held by the president in his office.”
The directive also says that journalists should carry a press card issued by the minister of Information as a pre-condition for being allowed into the Presidency.
Until now it has been the practice for journalists in Somaliland to obtain press cards from their employers or from one of the two journalists associations in Somaliland.
According to the newspaper and as confirmed by Somali PEN members in Somaliland, the new instructions are in line with the provisions of the draconian Yemeni press law of 1991 that the Somaliland authorities seems to have copied, word for word, from the internet and submitted it last year to the House of Representatives as a draft press law for governing Somaliland’s independent press.
The Somali-speaking Writers Centre of International PEN condemns this new directive against freedom of expression and expresses its solidarity with journalists and writers in Somaliland. We strongly call on President Rayale to lift these new restrictions on the independent media in Somaliland.
Send your appeals to
1. H.E Dahir Rayale Kahin
Fax: +252 213 8324 or +252 252 3848
E-mail: sl_victory@hotmail.com, sl_victory@yahoo.com
Salutation: Dear President
2. Minister of Interior
Mr. Abdillahi Ismail Shabeel
C/o Ministry of Foreign Affairs or the Presidency
Fax: +252 828 3271/ 252 225 3871
E-mail: slforeign@hotmail.com
Salutation: Dear Minister
- - - - - - -
•For Further information please contact us at the Free Expression Committee of the Somali-speaking PEN.
Email: somalipen@gmail.com