Statement from the Somali Journalists Network (SOJON)
Two journalists from Shacab newspaper in Garowe, northeast Somalia, were arrested by Puntland police forces at the headquarters of Puntland parliament on 3rd of July 2004. Shacab is an independent, Weekly and popular newspaper in Garowe.
The journalists, Mr. Abdi Farah Nur and Abdirashid Hussein Qooraansey, editor in chief and reporter of Shacab Newspaper respectively, were arrested during their duty of taking photographs from the hall of the parliament sessions in Garowe.
The journalists were also interviewing members of Puntland parliament who were refused to meet at the parliament building, and ordered by the police to be out of the building. Sources also believe that the arrest came about when police suspected from the journalists to report the their intervention to the house.
Mr. Abdi Farah Nur and Abdirashadir Hussein Qooraansey were detained from the morning until the evening of Saturday, 3rd of July 2004. They were released when journalists condemned the detention after making this imprisonment as the main headline of the daily news of their Radio Stations, and demanded from the Puntland administration to free them immediately and unconditionally.
Violations against journalists from the Puntland regional state of Somalia, which controls regions in northeast Somalia, are increasing knowingly.
Somali Journalists Network (SOJON) is accusing the Puntland Administration for the continuation of abuses against journalists in Bossaso, Garowe and Galkayo. 'We can't accept politicized maltreatments devastating the freedom of press in the region" SOJON said.
See also this press release at: http://www.sojonsomalia.org/Garowe.html
Omar Faruk Osman
Secretary General
Somali Journalists Network (SOJON)
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: www.sojonsomalia.org
