The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) has today condemned the arrest on 24 April of Abdullahi Hussein Darwish, reporter for Royal TV and Waaheen newspaper in northern Somalia.

“We strongly protest against this arrest and all persistent measures to suppress journalists by Somaliland authorities”, said Gabriel Baglo IFJ Africa Director.

According to the National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ), IFJ affiliate, Darwish was arrested in Erigabo town of Sanag region in northern Somalia and accused of spreading “false news”. Somaliland did not specify the nature of alleged news.

“Somaliland must end current trend of arresting and detaining journalists because of their work. Journalists must be allowed to cover news events without fear of arrest and harassment, including those happening in Sool, Sanaag and Ceyn regions,” said Omar Faruk Osman, Secretary General of National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ).

In a separate incident on 24 April, Abdiasis Ahmed Diriye, editor of Simba Radio in Mogadishu was wounded after gunmen attacked where he was sitting with other people in the evening. The armed men targeted and killed a man sitting with Diriye who was consequently wounded by one of the bullets at left leg.

For more information contact the IFJ on +221 33 867 95 86/87

The IFJ represents more than 600.000 journalists in 134 countries