The National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ) condemns – in the strongest terms possible the arbitrary arrest of another journalist in Hargeisa, Somaliland on Thursday 19, and April 2018.
Najiib Abdiweli Abdi , a journalist with a London-based TV, Universal was arrested upon arrival at Egal International Airport in the capital, Hargeisa after travelling from Mogadishu on Thursday 19 April,2018.
The motive behind the arbitrary detention of Najib is not yet clear but Somaliland police confirmed the arrest of the journalist although declined to give further details about his arrest.
Usually Somaliland detains journalists, artists and writers who return to Hargeisa accusing them of violating the existence and sovereignty of Somaliland.
Najiib came to Mogadishu for one month attachment at the biggest Universal TV station outside London and also do some feature programs for the TV According to Abdullahi Hesri Kulmiye the Director of Universal TV in East Africa.
National Union of Somali Journalists is deeply concern the repeated arrests against Journalists in Somaliland and we see it as a contradiction to freedom of expression and the media, Secretary General of NUSOJ Mohamed Ibrahim Moalimuu said.
Harassment and intimidation against journalists have been a major concern for journalists in Somaliland in the past several months and this last arrest of Najib is another disturbing development, therefore we call on Somaliland authority to release the arrested journalists immediately and unconditionally and allow journalists to do their media without intimidation, Moalimuu added.
On 16, April 2018 The regional court of Hargeysa sentenced Mohamed Kayse Mohamoud to 18 months in prison over charges of “offending the honor of the President.†The charges are related to a Facebook post saying “the president is from local,†according to the court. The judge said the post is offending the presidents by calling him a “local†while “the president is a national president,†the judge said in his judgment. Human Rights Centre attended the hearing in which the judgment was pronounced by the judge.
Mohamed Kayse was arrested on 7th February. He has been in detention since then.
Nacima Abwan Qorane a female writer and poet was arrested in January 2018 at Hargeisa Egal International Airport in Somaliland upon her return from Somalia’s capital Mogadishu, for promoting the idea of a united Somalia. She was charged on March 6 and sentenced to three years in prison on April 15 for “bringing the nation or the state into contempt” under Article 219(2) of the Penal Code..
-Somaliland authorities detained Mohamed Aabi Digaale, the Hargeisa bureau chief for the London-based broadcaster Universal TV. Police arrested Mohamed Aabi on February 17 and have been holding him without charge
On January 08, 2017–A Somaliland regional court sentenced journalists Mohamed Abdilaahi Dabshid and Ahmed Dirie Liltire, to two years of prison on charges of conducting propaganda against the state, bringing Somaliland into contempt and “bringing the flag or national emblem of a foreign state” into contempt, according to a statement by the Human Rights Center (HRC).
Police in the city of Borama arrested Mohamed and Ahmed on December 26, 2017, following the publication of a story they allegedly wrote for the privately owned news website Xeegonews
