Somalia Honors Journalists on World Press Freedom Day, Calls for Safer Media Environment

GOOBJOOG NEWS | MOGADISHU: Somalia marked World Press Freedom Day with renewed calls to protect journalists and uphold the integrity of independent media, as the country continues to navigate complex security and political transitions.

In events held across the country, tributes were paid to Somali journalists who have worked hard to keep the public informed. Speakers emphasized the crucial role the press plays in shaping national dialogue, exposing injustice, and fostering democratic accountability.

“Journalists are the voice of the people, they hold power to account, and they deserve protection, not persecution,” said a senior media advocate during the commemorations in Mogadishu.

World Press Freedom Day, observed globally every May 3, is a reminder of the international commitment to uphold freedom of expression, anchored in Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

This year, the focus turned to journalist safety, government responsibility, and the need for media development in fragile states.

Somalia’s growing and increasingly diverse media landscape has been credited with contributing to peace building and citizen engagement, despite frequent threats to press freedom. Local journalists have continued to report from frontlines, expose corruption, and amplify voices from across the social and political spectrum.

Yet risks remain high. Somalia ranks among the most dangerous places in the world to be a journalist, with ongoing calls for stronger legal protections, safety training, and independent regulatory bodies.

UNESCO, which leads global efforts around the day, has urged governments and media stakeholders to ensure journalists can operate freely and fairly, especially in regions recovering from conflict.

Somali media organizations echoed those calls, urging both the state and the press to recommit to ethics, accuracy, and professionalism in reporting.

“Freedom of the press is not just a right, it is a responsibility,” one journalist said. “We must wield it with truth, courage, and integrity.”