Mogadishu: The National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ) has strongly condemned the arbitrary arrests of journalists in the town of Boorama in Awdal region by the Somaliland Police on 13 September 2012 respectively.
The journalists Hashim Sheik and Omar Got who reports to the both Bar-Kulan Radio, a UN funded Radio based in Nairobi and Somalisat Television, a privately owned television with its headquarters in the UK, were arrested on Thursday 13 September, 2012 in the town of Boorama by the Somaliland police.
Somaliland authorities did not comment on the arrest of the journalists, however, it is believed that both journalists were arrested following a story they reported about the public opinion of town's residents over the Election of the New President of Somalia, which might have infuriated the Somaliland administration.
“Somaliland authorities should not oppress the fundamental rights of the freedom of expression which are protected by the regional and universal principles.” Mohamed Ibrahim, NUSOJ Secretary General said, “We, therefore, call upon the Somaliland authorities to immediately set free the journalists without condition.”
In a written statement, NUSOJ asserted that Somaliland authorities have been “very aggressive to the press and have several times cracked down the press for reporting stories which were not deemed threat to their security.”