Hargeisa, December 8, 2011, (Berberanews) – The newly elected leadership committee of Somaliland Journalists Association, SOLJA, had strongly condemned the arrest of their chairperson in a press conference held today at Hargeisa.
Spending few hours in Jail, Mr. Hassan Yusuf, the chairman, had been detained by Somaliland Police Forces through the order of a local court judge.
Speaking in a press conference, after he was released, Mr. Hassan told that he was arrested in association with allegations published last year by Hargeisa Star daily paper while he was its Editor-in-chief.
Hargeisa Star had previously printed corruption accusations against Somaliland’s minister of presidency, Mr. Hersi Ali H. Hassan, nonetheless, the chairman claimed that he was taking medications in Djibouti hospital while the paper made this charges against the minister and for that case was not responsible for whatever happened.
Mr. Hassan also mentioned that the minister had informed the judiciary institutions that he – Hersi – is not willing to raise any allegations to Hargeisa Star paper. The chairman argued that his detention is part of the administration’s policy in violations against the press. “My arrest is away from how the authorities had explained.” He said.
Speaking at the meeting, the secretary General of SOLJA, Mr. Mohamed-Rashid Muhummed Farah had expressed concern on how Somaliland authorities had executed a series of abuses against the freedom of expression and violations of human rights in Somaliland, as police forces have beaten at least a dozen reporters from the various institutions of Somaliland media. Mr. Rashid had seriously accused the arrest of SOLJA’s chair, describing it as bizarre.
“Hassan’s arrest is something strange. Since Somaliland’s declaration in 1991, it’s the first time that incumbent authority obviously arrests the chairman of countrywide journalist’s organization” the Secretary General debated.
Considering these issues at legal perspectives, Mr. Mohamud Abdirahman Nur, SOLJA’s legal advisor intensified how the country’s constitution had preserved the rights of Somaliland media and the freedom of expression of whole citizens.
Somaliland Journalist Association, SOLJA, renowned for defending journalists in at least a dozen high profile press freedom cases in Somaliland. SOLJA requests the United Nations, Human rights Organizations, and press freedom groups, to intervene in the worsening situation of journalists in Somaliland.
