THT: The state has released twelve journalists of the fifteen remanded by the Maroodi-jeeh Court in Hargeisa .
Some of the local Somaliland correspondents were arrested outside the Hargeisa Central prison while covering a riot by inmates on the 13th of this month.
Three others were nabbed at their working stations as they prepared to release news items related to the prison riot.
A day after their arrest the 15 were arraigned at the Maroodi-jeeh regional Court kin Hargeisa where they were charged with unprofessional and unethical conduct.
The court remanded them for five days which are yet to expire.
While many were involved MP Mohamed Husein Jama ‘Rambo’ himself a former journalist played a major role in securing the release.
“I thank the Somaliland President Muse Bihi for acceding with our plea for clemency” said MP Rambo as he also thanked three legislature colleagues for their support in the process
Those still detained are MMTV owner Mohamed Abdi Sheikh Ilig, Abdijabar Mohamed Hussein- HCTV and Gobonimo TV’s Abdirahman Ali Khalif (Indho-Adde).
I am glad to report the release of 12 journalists. We are grateful to the President @musebiihi who ensured their freedom. Also, I appreciate the other MPs Abdilahi, Hersi & Abdikarim who worked with me in the process. We are working on the release of the remaining 3 journalists. pic.twitter.com/St2oMe8Ecs
— Mohamed Hussein Jama (Rambo) (@MohamedRaambo) April 19, 2022
All the now free media operatives were unanimous that their freedom was incomplete until the remaining three are released.
“Until then, we are not yet free ,” said Ahmed Mahmud of Saab TV.
“A lot of people may think we’re happy with our release, but it is not so because three of our colleagues are still in custody,” said Hasan Saleban Harun (Hassan Galaydh) of the BBC.
On the issue of circumstances that resulted in the irregular mass arrests of journalists, which have elicited varied opinion among the populace the local BBC Somalia service stringer said
“We were detained in front of the Hargeisa Central Jail. We did not really record anything, we did not take pictures. We wanted to check the situation and report back.”
In reaction to the release the Somaliland journalists Association- SOLJA said that it was working relentlessly for the release of the remaining three.
#Update:
SOLJA is utterly delighted the release of 12 journalists who were detained on 13, April of this month. Their detention followed on reporting on a prison incident. Besides that, SOLJA is relentlessly working on the release of the remaining three Journalists pic.twitter.com/UlH7NiRw7K— SOLJA (@solja_org) April 19, 2022