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The president of the Transitional National Government (TNG), Abdiqassim Salad Hassan, has declined to sign a controversial media law passed by the Transitional National Assembly (TNA), TNG information minister Abdirahman Ibbi told IRIN.
Muhammad Haji Ingriis of the daily 'Ayaamaha' newspaper said that "90 percent of print and broadcast journalists downed their tools today [Wednesday] to express their displeasure with this law". The so-called Press Law restricting the activities of the press was passed three days ago, he told IRIN on Wednesday.
"If it becomes law as it is, it will be one of the most draconian press laws in the world," said Muhammad.
The journalists' basic complaint is that the law will make it illegal to cover information on government secrets and criticism of government officials, he said.
"As it is, if I were to report on financial scandals involving the government or senior officials, I would be violating the law," Muhammad said. "This is unacceptable and that is why we are protesting."
Ibbi said the president had set up a committee of lawyers, journalists and senior officials to meet with the journalists "and address their grievances".
"The president has asked that amendments requested by the journalists be made," Ibbi told IRIN. "The committee will meet with journalists' representatives on Thursday." He said the law would "most likely be sent back to parliament and modified to reflect the journalists' concerns".
Even though the issue remains unresolved, journalists welcome the president's intervention, Muhammad added. "We welcome the president's move, but I think the damage has been done to the relationship between the press and the TNG," he stressed. "This was totally unnecessary".
Meanwhile, in Mogadishu, the seven radio stations that normally operate in the city remained off the air, while none of the six daily papers were published on Wednesday, Awil Hashi a local resident told IRIN.
"There is nothing to read today, and no stations to listen to," he said.
This article was produced by IRIN News while it was part of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Please send queries on copyright or liability to the UN. For more information: https://shop.un.org/rights-permissions
