ASOJ.ORG-The Associated Somali Journalists, the trade union of the journalists and press freedom defenders condemned in the highst term to the Somalia government’s closure to the independent radio Station, Kulmiye Radio.

Security forces loyal to the government who carried a letter of order from the chief of Mogadishu’s national security agency who ordered the shutdown of the radio station.

“The move to silence Kulmiye Radio is a drastic act against the freedom of the media and freedom of expression as well” said the chairman of Associated Somali Journalists Dahir Alasow.

“We condemns the drastic attack and the silencing of the media a time the journalists are dealing with harsh attacking from all warring parts in Somalia. The government must show the responsibility to protect the people, but not to harass them, silence their media and arrest them” he added.

Kulmiye Radio, which was established in February 2011, showed a journalistic talent and well performance which demanded the bad attention of the insurgents, the government and the warlords in the country.

Alasow urged the transitional government of Somalia to allow Kulmiye Radio to restart its airing and solve the case in a peaceful way.

He also urged all the government entities to avoid power abuse and keep in mind that their will be a time they will be accounted with the violations they subject to the media and the people as well.

He sent a message to the Somali insurgents including Alshabab to allow the journalists work in the areas they control and give the people a freedom to share their ideas in the media.

Finally, he urged the Somali people specially those in Mogadishu to support their independent media and protest while the freedom is attacked. http://asoj.org/view.php?id=269#

ASOJ press freedom monitoring department

By Mss Faduma Farah Ali

ASOJ –General Secretary

[email protected]

ASOJ is nonprofit organization dedicated in press freedom and human rights, the organization represents more than one thousand journalists in 14 provinces across South central Somalia and Puntland and has good relationship with Somaliland Journalists