"We see our release as a victory for the people of S/land and freedom of speech"Gabobe

Yusuf A Gabobe, chief editor of Somaliland Times talks to local media, seconds after the journalists release outside Mandera prison. Muhammad O Sheekh, the Awdal Haatuf reporter is standing behind Yusuf

Hargeysa, Somaliland, March 31, 2007 (SL Times) – The jailed Haatuf journalists, held in Mandera High Security prison for the past 3 months were released on Thursday, after the President of Somaliland, Dahir Rayale Kahin issued a presidential ‘Pardon’ decree. Hargeysa Regional Court had sentenced the journalists early this month to prison terms, ranging from 2 to 2½ years. The journalists were jailed for publishing articles on government corruption, which the government interpreted as ‘insulting the President and his household’.

Yusuf Abdi Gabobe, chief editor of Somaliland Times and chairman of Haatuf Media Network (HMN), Ali Abdi Dini, chief editor of Haatuf Daily and Muhammad Omar Sheekh, Haatuf Daily correspondent for Awdal region, were released from Mandera High Security prison on 29 March 2007, at 12pm.

The journalists’ release from Mandera prison came after a high European Union delegation from Nairobi, Kenya, arrived on Thursday morning at 10:00 AM in Egal Hargeysa international airport. From the Hargeysa airport, The EU delegation, led by Eric Vanderlin, headed straight to Mandera (93 miles NE of Hargeysa), to meet the journalists in Mandera High Security prison.

On arriving at Mandera prison, the delegation were led to the prison commander’s office to meet the journalists. The delegation, kindly requested prison staff to be left alone with the journalists. The EU delegation asked the journalists how they were being treated in the prison, whether they had suffered any physical abuse and if they received a fair court trial? The journalists replied that they have been treated well in Mandera prison, and had no complaints about the prison staff. The journalists did mention to the EU delegation that during the period they were held in Hargeysa CID headquarters and Koodbur district police station, they were denied access to their lawyers, family, friends, human rights representatives and associates for many days, and at nighttime, curfew would be imposed on using the toilet. The EU delegation had a lengthy discussion with the journalists over the whole court trial process, the judiciary’s refusal to apply the ‘Somaliland Press Law’ in the court trial, and the Supreme Court’s rejection of the Presss Law.

As soon as the delegation completed their meeting with the imprisoned journalists and headed back to Hargeysa for a formal meeting with the president, the chief inspector of prisons from the Somaliland Custodial Prison Service arrived at Mandera prison bearing the presidential decree, which officially declared that the journalists should be released from prison.

The EU delegation, on arrival at Egal Hargeysa airport, met Muhammad Ahmed Sillanyo, the Kulmiye party chairman in the VIP room. The chairman was among many dignitaries and officials waiting at the airport for the deceased body of Haybe Omar Magan, who passed away on 28 March 2006 in Djibouti, and was to be buried in Gabiley district, Hargeysa region.

The delegation declined to meet the press when they arrived, but briefly chatted with Sillanyo in the VIP room of the airport.

Mr Sillanyo informed the SL Times, that the EU delegation said to him that they have come to Somaliland for the journalists’ release and for the National Election Commission stalemate issue between the government and parliament.

The delegation had an official meeting with the President of Somaliland, Dahir Rayale Kahin, in the presidency, soon after they returned from Mandera prison.

President Rayale issued a press statement regarding the meeting with the EU Delegation, and said that he had a fruitful discussion with the delegation on many matters, concerning the country and the region as a whole. The delegation returned to Nairobi on the same day that they arrived.

SL Times has learned that the EU had frozen its development aid to the government of Somaliland, and tied the release of the aid to the release of Haatuf journalists from prison before the delegation leaves the country, and for the National Election Commission issue to be solved by the government as quickly as possible.

The journalists release

A large crowd of well-wishers of family, friends and major TV, newspapers and radio journalists were waiting outside the prison gates to receive the journalists. The first journalist to step out of Mandera High Security prison gate was Yusuf Abdi Gabobe, closely followed by Muhammad Omar Sheekh and Ali Abdi Dini. Rapturous cheering and shouting met the journalists as they walked out of the prison gate. The journalists were completely taken by surprise, and were touched by the warm welcome. Some of them had tears in their eyes as people fought their way to shake hands or hug them.

The media quickly took control and asked the crowd to be quite so that the journalists could be interviewed. Fathiya Muhammad Roble of Voice of America (Somali) asked Yusuf Abdi Gabobe, acting as the spokesperson for the journalists, “How do you see your release?” Yusuf replied, ‘We see our release as a victory for the people of S/land and freedom of speech, in particular for the media”. Yusuf Gabobe explained, “We, three journalists, who have been unjustly imprisoned, who have been denied their basic constitutional rights, see our release as the first step towards attaining in this country full democratic principles, sound laws and order, the freedom of expression and a free media.”

Gabobe continued, “the whole reason why we went to war against Siyad Barre, and lost so many people, and many people were maimed, was to have the right to enjoy the freedom of speech and expression endorsed in our constitution. We see our arrest as illegal and unjust. We don’t think we were the only ones in prison but the whole country was in prison. For we simply reported that the president’s family is abusing its power. If another newspaper was to say the same thing, they would also have been imprisoned.”

Muhammad Ilig of Cable Hargeysa TV, asked Yusuf Gabobe, ‘Will you think twice now before writing articles about government corruption? Gabobe replied, “The media exists to inform the public of how public funds and resources are utilized by the government. If we don’t do this, I don’t know how we can be labeled as the media”.

Gabobe concluded by saying that he and his colleagues would like to thank all the people who have supported them, the Diaspora and the media, especially Abdi-Aziz Samale (deputy speaker, parliament), Shuro-Net, SOLJA, CPJ, Amnesty, EHAHRDP/Net, local and international NGOs, the opposition, parliament and all of those who stuck out their necks and stood up with them. It was that support that kept them going spiritually and mentally, Gabobe pointed out.

The journalists were given a hero’s welcome. A large motorcade and convoy of vehicles escorted the journalists to Hargeysa. By the time the convoy reached the city outskirts of Hargeysa, it numbered three times those who went to Mandera prison. The entire city stood still, cars beeped their horns, people clapped and whistled as the convoy passed through the city center.

At Haatuf Media Network headquarters, a special 'welcome home' reception was waiting for the journalists with hundreds of people eagerly waiting to greet the journalists.

The Haatuf journalists, in the traditional Somali cultural way, were showered with fresh flower petals and leaves by the waiting crowd as they stepped out of their motocade when they arrived at Haatuf complex.

Yusuf Abdi Gabobe, chief editor of Somaliland Times and chairman of Haatuf Media Network	Ali Abdi Dini, chief editor of Haatuf Daily	Muhammad Omar Sheekh, Haatuf Daily correspondent for Awdal region

Source: Somaliland Times

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