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Hargeysa,
Somaliland, September 5, 2009 – Two journalists were arrested and held
for 12 hours on Saturday while covering a parliamentary session in
Hargeysa, Somaliland, according to a local media rights group and news
sources.
Local news sources said Ibrahim Abdirahman Qasim, a cameraman for WARYA
TV and Saraar News Online, was arrested and his camera and equipment
were confiscated by police as the journalists tried to photograph
arguing MPs. Hassan Abdillahi Budul, a report for Haatuf newspaper, was
arrested at the same time.
Both journalists were released twelve hours later without charge, and no
reason for the arrest was given, Media Rights Somaliland (MeRiS)
director Mukhtar Hassan told IPI.
At the time of the arrests, the lower house of parliament was embroiled
in a heated verbal joust between members of the President's ruling UDUB
party and the opposition, who hold a majority in the house.
President Dahir Rayale Kahin has been criticized by the opposition and
civil society groups over his behavior in the run-up to presidential
elections.
"In the run-up to the elections on 27 September, the president wants to
muscle up against the independent press," Adam Ismail, editor in chief
of the online newspaper The Somaliland Globe, told IPI by phone.
The recent arrests of several Somaliland journalists have fuelled
concern at an apparent crackdown on the independent media as the
presidential elections approach.
"The Somaliland authorities must respect freedom of the press," said IPI
Deputy Director Alison Bethel McKenzie. "This is all the more important
in the run-up to presidential elections."
On 3 August, Radio Horyaal and somaliland.org reporter Foosi Saleebaan
Awbiindhe was detained for allegedly producing "false reports."
Awbiindhe is known for covering corruption cases in the town of Burao,
MeRiS's Hassan told IPI. After being held for several weeks, Awbiindhe
was tried and released on 25 August, on the condition that he no longer
report for Radio Horyaal.
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