A crucial meeting was held in Somaliland Parliament building on Tuesday in which the motion of Somaliland Press Law was on the agenda of the meeting. The meeting focused on ways that Somaliland Press Law will serve the needs of Somaliland local media. They also discussed ways that the media laws pave the way for the development of the freedom of the press.
The meeting was attended by the Speaker of the Lower House of Parliament, Hon. Yasin Haji Mohamud Hiir alias Faraton, the Deputy Chair of the Parliamentary Committee on Social Affairs, the Head of Somaliland Media Organization, Head of Human rights in Somaliland, the Head of Local Televisions in Somaliland, reporters, and media stakeholders.
They exchanged views on the press law during the meeting. The media practitioners who attended the meeting suggested vital points related to the press law in Somaliland.
- They called on that the new press law allows to set up the National Committee on the media in order to get an independent Agency which will be responsible for the local media.
- They demanded that the new press law clearly identify the agency that is responsible for granting media licenses. This will clear the doubts on the way media licenses are granted. It will guarantee justice and efficiency.
- They called on basing the press law on civil laws in order to protect the free speech as well as protecting the sole responsibility of the media.
- They demanded that the press law will be given equal attention to the laws pertaining to Somaliland Penal Code and other laws on the crimes on the internet which have been tabled in the parliament.
