MOGADISHU ( Halbeeg News ) – Somali Journalists mainly from the independent media have decried a move that locked the media out of the 1st sitting of the sixth session of Somali Lower House of parliament on Saturday.
The Journalists working for independent media were affected due to what officials at the Parliament described as limited space at the new Parliament’s assembly hall at Villa Hargeisa in Mogadishu.
The management of the House business committee who later spoke to the media denied the claim that they refused access to cover the session but informed the Journalists about the limited space for the media.
Press department at the Lower House parliament said the decision to restrict independent media was made last week due to the proposed construction of the main Parliament Building and no intensions to challenge media freedom in the country.
Media advocacy groups in the country called upon authorities to immediately restore access for the independent media to the Parliament.
They said the democratic process in the country will be undermined if journalists and independent media are not allowed to cover all proceedings of the important political events including parliamentary debates.
According to Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) Somalia is among dangerous environment for Journalists to operate.
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