Chairman of EAPJA, Adel Al-Abaz (left) seen standing behind the UK Prime minister Tony Blair and Yusuf A. Gabobe (right), the Somaliland Times chief-editor at press conference held by British leader exclusively for EATJA group of journalist at Lancaster house in London on February 25, 2005.

Hargeysa, Somaliland, January 13, 2007 (SL Times) – The Somaliland government has denied entry visa for Adel Al-Baz, Chairman of the East African Professional Journalists Association, who intended to come here to intervene with government officials for the release of two journalists from detention in Hargeysa.

The two journalists Yusuf A Gabobe editor of the English weekly the Somaliland Times and Ali A. Dini, editor of the Somali language daily, Haatuf, were both arrested on January 2, 2007 by the police for publishing an article alleging corruption allegations by President Dahir Rayale and his wife Hudda Barkhad.

Adel Al-Baz on Wednesday arrived in Addis Ababa where he initially hoped to meet with Somaliland president Rayale who was also visiting Ethiopia at the time.

However the meeting didn’t materialize as Mr. Rayale left the Ethiopian capital for Hargeysa by Thursday afternoon.

Adel Al Baz then approached the Somaliland mission in Addis Ababa where he requested to be granted an entry visa for Somaliland. He was however denied the visa by the head of the mission Yusuf Jama Buraale.

Instead, Mr. Buraale accepted to forward a letter by Mr. Al Baz to Somaliland president in which the EAPJA appeals for the release of the Journalists detained. Mr. Buraale also told Al Baz to be in touch with him again in 4 days time to see if his visa application could be reconsidered.

The EAPJA which was launched on 2005 brings together journalists from Somaliland, Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda, Sudan, Tanzania and Rwanda.

The group advocates for press freedom issues in the region of eastern Africa.

Adel Al Baz the publisher of the Sudanese daily newspaper Al Sahafa hosted members of the group during the African Union’s last summit in Khartoum.

Yusuf Gabobe, the detained Editor-in-chief of the Somaliland Times is a founding member of the EAPJA.

Source: Somaliland Times

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