MOGADISHU, Somalia, 27 April 2021 – Somali Journalists Syndicate (SJS) strongly condemns the violent attack on the privately-owned radio Mustaqbal Media, the beating of journalist Bashir Mohamud Yusuf and the confiscation of radio equipment by members of Somali police “Haramcad” unit in Mogadishu on Tuesday morning.
According to journalists and management of Mustaqbal Media, the Turkish-trained Haramcad armed officers entered the radio premises in K4 area at 6:00am on Tuesday and ordered the staff on duty to come down at gunpoint, where they beat and harassed radio editor Bashir Mohamud Yusuf before confiscating computers, laptops, phones and cameras. The radio was put off-air subsequently.
“The Haramad police entered our building this morning. They beat me with the gun and I sustained bruises on my chest and back. When they saw my journalist Identification Card, one officer even cocked his gun and threatened to kill me. They entered the office and confiscated computers, laptops, phones and cameras,” Bashir told SJS.
Radio Mustaqbal has been covering the recent developments including gunfight and street protests between security forces backing the federal government of Somalia and military forces backing the opposition — who oppose president Mohamed Abdullahi Farmaajo’s term extension — in Mogadishu since Sunday morning. K4, where the radio locates, is among neighbourhoods where both sides clashed on Sunday.
SJS has documented three other cases of journalists’ detention, beatings, threats and whose footage deleted in Mogadishu since armed clashes broke out in the capital on Sunday.
“We strongly condemn the violent attack on Radio Mustaqbal today and the physical assault on journalist Bashir Mohamud Yusuf. We call for the police and security officials to immediately return the equipment taken from the radio as we also call for an independent investigation into this violent attack,” Abdalle Ahmed Mumin, the secretary general of Somali Journalists Syndicate (SJS) said.