The news is out about
alarming free speech breaching in Somalia and the UN is concerned. The government is in the process of
enforcing a new law that is alarming to UN experts, especially in terms of
corruption.
President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s new law requires journalists to disclose their sources and restrict them from spreading information against Islam.
This new legislation could be a huge breach on freedom of the press and expression and could become law within the next few months. In the same way, if journalists are accused of violating the legislation, they will be suspended.
What does this mean for journalism?
In many parts of the world, the media is being corrupted by the government – even in the US. Freedom of the press is a right not only for journalists, but for the people as well.
Taking away this right from journalists is a way for the government to censor the information that is circulated within the world. Not only does this take away rights from journalists, it also takes away the rights of people to know.
Story thanks to Al Jazeera, http://www.aljazeera.com/news/africa
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