Hargeysa, Somaliland, January 20, 2007 (SL Times) – A group of journalists led by the Secretary General of Somaliland's Society for Independent Journalists and Writers visited five youth who were sentenced to six months imprisonment by the regional Hargeysa Security Committee last week for taking part in the Hargeysa demonstration, which happened on Jan. 8, 2007.

The demonstrators had called for the release of Haatuf journalists arrested on Jan.2, 2007, by Hargeysa CID.

The Secretary General of the Somaliland Society for Independent Journalists and Writers, Abdirahman Ahmed Shunuf along with three other journalists paid a visit to the five imprisoned youth, Khadar Hassan (16 age), Khalid Ali Aar (18 age), Abdi-Aziz Ibrahim Sheikh Adam (20 age) Abdi-Aziz Ali Nour (19 age), and Yasin Yusuf Jama (21 age). Abdirahman Ahmed Shunuf said that he was appalled after being told by the five youth that they were seriously beaten by Iftin police station officers as soon as they were arrested by Somaliland's security forces. Abdirahman Ahmed Shunuf added that all the youngsters had facial bruises and wounds on the arms, legs and body.

Mr. Shunuf said that the youth named the police officers responsible for these inhuman acts as Mohamed Ase and Mr. Jani.

The Secretary General for Somaliland Society for Independent Journalists and Writers appealed to the government and human-rights activists and organizations for these officers to be brought to a court of law for gross human-rights violations.

The youth conceded that the Mandera prison staff treated them well, but complained about the food and the lack of good bedding.

Abdirahman Ahmed Shunuf said that the detention of these youth is unconstitutional and illegal, because these youth have not been sentenced by a court of law, but were imprisoned by an illegal security committee composed of Hargeysa regional authority and the region's head of police.

This security committee has been condemned by parliament and the high court said it is an illegal institution that is at odds with the constitution. Nevertheless the government continues to use this unconstitutional committee.

This committee was inherited from the ousted fascist regime of Siyad Barre.

The previous government of the late president Mohamed Ibrahim Egal was almost impeached by the previous parliament in 2001 for the use of this controversial security committee. Egal’s government escaped impeachment by one vote.

The incumbent government of Somaliland's President Dahir Rayale Kahin uses these security committees to control the freedom of expression and demonstration enshrined in Somaliland’s constitution.

Source: Somaliland Times