Somalia: Internet journalist released
Published: September 21, 2007
English PEN welcomes the release of Mohamed Hussein Jimale, correspondent for the news website Puntlandpost.com, on
'The Somali-speaking Centre of International PEN welcomes the decision by the Somali government to release from custody Mr. Mohamed Hussein Jimale, a Somali journalist, who was held in detention for five days in
Mr. Jimale, a correspondent in Mogadishu for the news website Puntlandpost, was arrested on Wednesday 12, 2007, after he happened to be in an area where the Somali Police had been rounding up hundreds of people on suspicion of acts of insurgency in Bakaaraha market, the largest open market in Somalia, which has recently become epicentre of violent clashes between the Somali government troops backed by Ethiopian forces and a mix of clan militias and Islamists insurgencies. The police released almost all the detainees shortly after they interrogated them in Hawlwadag Police station. However, Mr. Jimale was transferred straight to another prison near the Presidency, Villa Somalia, only after he had identified himself as a journalist.
Mr. Mohamed, who was released from custody on Sunday late afternoon September 16, had been treated well during his period in detention despite long hours of interrogations. So far, the Somali government has not given any information as to why Mr. Mohamed was kept in detention for five days. We view his detention as part of the on-going campaign of violence by both the Somali government and the opposition insurgencies to force journalists and other members of Somali creative community to either abandon their journalistic and creative work or take sides with the warring parties.
The Somali-speaking Centre of International PEN salutes its campaigners in
For further information please contact Somali PEN Freedom of Expression Task Force email: somalipen.freeexpression@gmail.com