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On 7 June, 2019, Mogadishu-based Radio Kulmiye features Somali Journalists Syndicate (SJS) by interviewing co-founder, Abdalle Ahmed Mumin who explains the journalist body, its vision, membership and objectives and discusses general overview about the challenges faced by Somali journalists.
Interview link here (Somali).
Mid ka mid ah aas aasayaasha Ururka Suxufiyiinta Soomaaliyeed (Somali Journalists Syndicate SJS), Abdalle Ahmed Mumin ayaa wareysi ku saabsan ujeeddooyinka SJS, shuruudaha xubinimmada iyo hiigsiga uu doonayo ka siiyey Radio Kulmiye.
Somali Journalists Syndicate (SJS) welcomed the release, but called upon the Somali authorities to respect freedom of the expression and stop harassing journalists who express their views.
Source: Radio Dalsan
MOGADISHU, Somalia, 31 May, 2019 – Somali Journalists Syndicate (SJS) welcomes the release of Goobjoog media journalist Ali Adan Mumin who was released from police custody late on Friday 31 May, 2019. He spent four days in jail.
The journalist’s employer, Goobjoog media director Hassan Mohamed Mohamud told SJS that the journalist was released under the orders of Criminal Investigations Department (CID) Boss Colonel Omar Abdi Elmi.
“Our colleague Ali Adan Mumin is free. He was released from jail at 8.34pm local time. He is now at the Goobjoog Media where colleagues welcomed him and he will soon reunite with his family,” director Mohamud told SJS.
Journalist Ali Adan Mumin who spoke to SJS shortly after his release told SJS he was freed after he signed a letter brought to him by the CID boss Col. Elmi which states that the journalist can be summoned at any time.
“I am glad that I am free now. I was released from the jail tonight. I am bit concerned that I was given a letter to sign which says that I will be summoned by the police at anytime. I signed it because the officers told me they would not release me without signing it,” Mumin told SJS.
The journalist said that during his detention, he felt his freedom was infringed upon. He said when he went to the police CID headquarters on Tuesday after he was summoned a day earlier, he was a law abiding citizen and was not expecting to be jailed.
“I thank SJS team for the solidarity and the support they offered me during the time I was in jail,” journalist Mumin added.
SJS is relieved by the release of journalist Mumin. We call upon the Somali authorities to respect freedom of the expression and stop harassing journalists who express their views.
“After four long days, we are happy that our colleague has finally been freed.” SJS said, “We call upon the Somali government to respect the freedom of expression and refrain from repressive measures aimed to silence the independent voices.”
On Wednesday, Banadir Regional Court ordered the release of Mumin at the end of ongoing national exams after the court dropped charges brought by the State Attorney General’s office against the journalist. However the journalist remained in jail.
On Friday, SJS activists led dozens of journalists in Mogadishu in a protest against the continued detention of the journalist.
The journalist’s lawyer Abdirahman Omar who attended the protest called the police to uphold the Wednesday’s court order.
MUQDISHO, Soomaaliya, 29 May, 2019 – Ururka Suxufiyiinta Soomaaliyeed (SJS) ayaa ammaanay go’aanka Maxkamadda Gobolka Banaadir ay ku tirtirtay dhammaan eedeymihii loo heystay wariyaha Goobjoog Cali Aadan Muumin.
Xeer Ilaalinta Dowladda ayaa saaka oo Arbaco ah 29 May, 2019 hor keentay Maxkamadda Gobolka Banaadir illaa shan eedeyn oo ku suntan Xeerka Ciqaabta Soomaaliyeed, kuwaasoo ku xusan Qodobadda 215, 219, 220, 267 iyo 268. Qodobadan ayaa ka hadlaya eedeymo isugu jira aflagaado, dacaayad, xushmad dareyn iyo carqaladeyn hawl xafiis dadweyne.
Garsooraha Maxkamadda Gobolka Banaadir ayaa gebi ahaan diiday eedeymaha ku xusan qodobadan, isagoo ku tilmaamay kuwo aan ku habooneyn eedeymaha la soo jeediyay.
Garsooraha ayaa faray booliska inay wariyaha siidaayaan marka uu dhammaado Imtixaanka Shahaadiga ee hadda socda kaasoo la sheegay in maalinta Khamiista ee berito 30 May, 2019 uu ku eg yahay.
Qareenka wariyaha Cabdiraxmaan X. Cismaan oo metelayey wariyaha isagoo ka wakiil ah Somali Journalists Syndicate – SJS ayaa ku tilmaamay eedeymaha la soo oogay kuwo lala yaabo. Wuxuu qareenku ku sifeeyay sii xirnaanshaha wariye Cali Aadan Muumin mid sharciga hareer marsan,
“Maadaama Maxkamad sharci ah ay fartay in la sii daayo wariyaha waxay ahayd in deg deg loo sii daayo wariye Cali Aadan Muumin,” ayuu sii raaciyay Abuukaato Cabdiraxmaan hadalkiisa.
Waxaa xusid mudan in warqadda u yeeridda ee wariyaha loo diray ay soo baxday 25 May, 2019, halka eedeynta ah in wariyuhu wax ka qoray qishka imtixaanka la daabacay 26 May, 2019, taasoo muujineysa in xariiga wariye Cali Aadan Muumin uu ahaa mid horey u sii qorsheysnaa.
Ilo saxaafadeed ayaa u sheegay Somali Journalists Syndicate – SJS in xarigga wariyaha ay amartay Taliye ku Xigeenka Booliska, Gen. Zakiya Xuseen kaddib markii wariyuhu qoraal uu ku daabacay boggiisa Facebook 22 May, 2019 uu ku sheegay in Gen. Zakiya aysan aqoonin af Soomaali wanaagsan.
Agaasimaha Goobjoog, Xasan Maxamed Maxamuud oo Somali Journalists Syndicate – SJS la hadlay ayaa caddeeyay in Maxkamadda ay ka filayeen in deg deg loo siiyo wariyaha xorriyadiisa.
“Waxaan filaynay in saaxiibkeen Cali Aadan Muumin uu heli doonno xorriyadiisa, maadaama sifaha lafu xiray aysan markii horeba sharci ahayn,” ayuu sii raaciyay hadalkiisa agaasime Xasan.
Somali Journalists Syndicate – SJS waxay soo dhoweyneysaa go’aanka Maxkamadda ee baabi’inta eedeymaha, hase yeeshee waxaan ku baaqeynaa in deg deg loo sii daayo wariye Cali Aadan Muumin.
“Waa wax laga xumaado in eedeymo lagu soo oogo wariye qoray aragtidiisa oo kaliya.” ayaa lagu yiri war saxaafadeedka Ururka Suxufiyiinta Soomaaliyeed (SJS).
Somali Journalists Syndicate – SJS waxay ugu baaqeysaa masuuliyiinta dowladda inay dulqaad u yeeshaan dhaliilaha, maadaama dadka haya xilalka dadweynaha aysan ka reebaneyn in la dhaliilo.
“Ma’ahan in wariyaashu ka cabsadaan in ay dhibaato uga timaado haddii ay xitaas u’alo weydiiyaan ama ay dhaliilaan masuuliyiinta- oo ay ku jiraan saraakiisha booliska oo ayna si adag u xisaabiyaan dhammaan masuuliyiinta dadweynaha,” ayuu sii raaciyay war saxaafadeedka SJS.
MOGADISHU, Somalia, 29 May, 2019 – Somali Journalists Syndicate (SJS) praises the Banadir Regional Court’s decision to reject charges against Ali Adan Mumin, Goobjoog Media reporter and welcomes the release of Bulsho TV correspondent, Abdirahman Keyse Tungub from Las’anod jail on Wednesday 29 May, 2019.
Banadir Regional Court Judge has on Wednesday quashed charges presented against journalist Ali Adan Mumin who was arrested by the police on Tuesday 28 May, 2019 in Mogadishu. He was taken to the court around 11.35am on Wednesday.
The government Attorney General’s office presented five charges under the Penal Code Articles of: 215 (Spreading Propaganda against the Nation); 219 (Disrespecting the Nation and the State); 220 (Insulting and Tarnishing the Character of the President); 267 (Violation against the Work of a Public Office) and Article 268 which alleges of Insulting a Public Officer.
The Presiding Judge of the Court clearly said that he was not convinced all the charges brought against the journalist and subsequently dropped all the charges against Mumin. The Judge however ordered the journalist be held in jail until midday Thursday May 30, 2019 and be released afterwards on the basis that the journalist previously posted allegations of national exam being leaked publicly.
According to lawyer Abdirahman Hassan Omar, who represented the journalist in the court today on behalf of Somali Journalists Syndicate (SJS), all the charges brought against the journalist were unfounded leading the court to reject it.
“All the charges presented by the State Attorney General were absurd,” said lawyer Osman “Since the Court has dismissed all the charges against the journalist it is unlawful to keep him in jail. He should be released immediately.”
It is worth noting that the summoning letter sent to journalist Mumin on Tuesday by the police investigations department (CID) was dated on 25 May, 2019 and the allegations about the leaked exams mentioned in his Facebook post was dated on 26 May, 2019, which the journalist only reported about an information available on the public domain and did not publish any exam papers. This clearly indicates the timing of the order of the journalist’s arrest was pre-planed.
Journalist’s colleagues believe the journalist was arrested under the orders of Deputy Police Commissioner; Zakia Hussein following a Facebook post dated on 22 May 2019, which questioned Mrs. Hussein’s Somali language fluency. In that post, journalist Mumin protested against lacking access to sites of blasts when reporting saying that “The police denied media access to the places of explosions, while the Deputy Police Commissioner, Mrs Zakia Hussein who also acts as a police spokesperson could not speak clear Somali language, and that she does not write accurate details among other points.”
Goobjoog Media director, Hassan Mohamud Mohamed has called the police to allow the journalist to resume his work and release him without further delays.
“First of all, the arrest of our colleague was illegal and contrary to the Constitution, we therefore anticipated that the court releases our colleague without any condition,” Mohamed told SJS “However we hope that they will set him free tomorrow as per the court orders.”
Somali Journalists Syndicate praises the court’s decision to drop all charges against the journalist, while SJS condemns the continued and illegal detention.
“It’s appalling to press charges against journalists over only expressing their opinions, which is a basic constitutional right” SJS said, “We call upon the Somali authorities to immediately release our colleague Ali Adan Mumin, since the court of law dismissed all charges against him.”
SJS calls public officials to show tolerance since they are not exempt from criticism.
“Journalists should not fear reprisals even after they question and criticize officials including police officers. It is the work of journalists to question and challenge all officials for the public interest,” SJS adds.
In a separate incident in Somaliland, Somali Journalists Syndicate (SJS) welcomes the release of Bulsho TV correspondent Abdirahman Keyse Tungub from Las’anod prison where he was arbitrarily detained for 16 days without charges.
“I am free now and heading to my home,” he told SJS shortly after he was released around 10.35am local time on Wednesday. “The police orallly told me that I am free to go.”
Colleagues and the Abdirahman himself told SJS that his release was ordered by the Governor of Sool region, Abdiqani Mohamud Jiirre.
The journalist is still under medication following a leg injury resulted by shrapnel from a gunshot by the police on the day of his arrest.
“I am taking my medication and planning to take rest for a while before I resume my journalism work,” he told SJS.
While SJS welcomes the release of the journalist, we also demand the arrest of the police officer who shot the bullet that resulted Abdirahman’s injury.
Somali Journalists Syndicate (SJS) welcomes the release of the privately-owned independent Bulsho TV correspondent Abdirahman Keyse Tungub from Las’anod prison where he was arbitrarily detained for 16 days without charges.
The journalist told SJS that he was freed on Wednesday morning around 10.35am local time.
“I am free now and heading to my home,” he told SJS shortly after he was released around 10.35am local time on Wednesday. “The police orallly told me that I am free to go.”
Colleagues and Abdirahman himself told Somali Journalists Syndicate (SJS) that his release was ordered by the Governor of Sool region, Abdiqani Mohamud Jiirre.
The journalist is still under medication following a leg injury resulted by shrapnel from a gunshot by the police on the day of his arrest.
“I am taking my medication and planning to take rest for a while before I resume my journalism work,” he told SJS.
While SJS welcomes the release of the journalist, we also demand the arrest of the police officer who shot the bullet that resulted Abdirahman’s injury.
MOGADISHU, Somalia, 28 May, 2019 – Somali Journalists Syndicate (SJS) calls Somali government for the immediate and unconditional release of Goobjoog TV and Radio reporter, Ali Adan Mumin who was arrested on Tuesday morning in Mogadishu.
According to colleagues, On Monday around 3.30pm the police brought a letter of summon to the journalist ordering Mr. Mumin to appear at the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) on Tuesday morning, where he was informed his arrest upon arrival.
The police summoning letter dated on May 25, 2019, which SJS has seen a copy of it states that the “CID received complaints against the journalist”. The letter neither mentioned who brought the complaints nor explained what the complaints were about.
Goobjoog Media Director, Hassan Mohamud Mohamed told Somali Journalists Syndicate (SJS) the CID Commander, Omar Abdi Elmi informed journalist Mumin that he was sued by the Ministry of Education without giving any further explanation. He was then put in the cell.
“We have visited the CID headquarters and we were told that officials from the Ministry of Education ordered the arrest of our colleague Ali Adan Mumin,” director Hassan told (SJS). “They also informed us that he will remain in jail until investigations on his case starts without giving clear time and date.”
According to Director Hassan Mohamud Mohamed, in February the journalist filed a complaint case at the Somali Attorney General’s office against an official at the Ministry of Education identified as Muse Arale who beat and threatened to shoot the journalist on 22 December 2018 inside inside Yaasiin Osman School, near Daljir Dahsoon monument, where Mumin was on reporting assignment after a deadly car bomb blast occurred there.
In a video clip captured the same day, the official Arale could be seen pushing the journalist while trying to grab his pistol. The journalist’s complaint at the Attorney General office is still pending.
“It is unfortunate that the Somali Attorney General office did not summon the alleged official at the Ministry of Education and that the police did not investigate the violence against the journalist filed,” SJS said in a statement. “Instead, the police at the CID came up with a scheme to sue the journalist.”
Furthermore, journalist Mumin has been the subject of online harassment and threats due to his critical reporting. In mid this month, people believed to be pro-government online trolls have mocked the death of the journalist while others even called for the arrest of the journalist after he reported about students protest in the capital.
Somali Journalists Syndicate (SJS) is concerned about these threats and online harassment against the journalist. We call for the unconditional release of the journalist and immediately begin investigation to the threats against journalist Mumin and bring perpetrators to justice to ensure the journalist’s safety.
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*Some corrections reflect within paragraphs 6 and 7 to show the exact location of the 22 December 2018 incident.
MOGADISHU – Somalia, 24 May, 2019 – Somali Journalists Syndicate (SJS) condemns the arbitrary detention of privately-owned SBC TV reporter Mohamed Sahal Omar (Ga’ma Dhere) in Kismayo on Friday morning, May 24, 2019.
Jubbaland security forces arrested journalist Mohamed Omar Sahal at Kismayo General Hospital on Friday morning around 1030am local time, where he interviewed family members of an 8-years-old girl, whose mutilated body was found dumped outside the city and was brought to the hospital.
“They took me to the police station and confiscated my camera and laptop. They ordered me to handover the password of my laptop which I gave them. They checked the video interviews I did earlier,” Sahal told Somali Journalists Syndicate (SJS) shortly after he was released Friday afternoon.
According to the journalist, two Jubbaland officers namely: Warsame Ahmed, the Deputy Police Commissioner of Jubbaland and Abdi Madobe, the Kismayo Police Commissioner came to him and informed that he will be put in the detention cell under the order of Jubbaland Police Commissioner Ahmed Nasir Guled.
The journalist was released around 01.45pm local time after spending more than 3 hours in the jail, where government ministers later intervened.
“When someone tells you what to say and what not to say, that is the darkest moment of life,” he told SJS. ”We are in extreme situation of censorship and intimidation. This time it is coming from Jubbaland government.”
SJS contacted Kismayo Police Chief Abdi Madobe and Jubbaland’s Police Commissioner, Ahmed Nasir Guled who both declined to respond to our queries with regard to the journalist’s arrest.
Meanwhile, General Director of SBC Radio and TV, Mohamed Dek Abdalla has told SJS that his media outlet sought explanation of the arrest of their journalist but was not provided any answers.
*SJS condemns the arbitrary detention of our colleague, meant to obstruct his constitutionally granted freedoms.”SJS said.
Intimidations, arbitrarily arrests and threats against journalists by Jubbaland state security forces were recently on the raise as the Jubbaland parliamentary and presidential elections are expected to hold in August this year. SJS research shows five local journalists have fled Kismayo, the seat of Jubbaland state of Somalia since January 2019 while others are planning to either quit reporting or leave the town at least during this election season due to their safety.
Mas’ud Abdullahi Adan, a Universal TV correspondent in Kismayo has told SJS that he has resorted to self censorship including to not report about Jubbaland elections after he was threatened with death by a soldier of Jubbaland’s Darawish military forces on April 23, 2019.
According to this journalist, the threats came after he posted an article about the upcoming elections on his Facebook account.
“In Kismayo there are many phony elders who form themselves as elders only during election period so I questioned about the authenticity of the elders who will be selecting the next Jubbaland parliament. After I posted the article, the soldier called me and threatened that he will kill me by shooting with seven bullets,” journalist Masu’d said.
“He seemed to be angry about my questioning about the validity of the clan elders. He said ‘how dare to criticize the elders’ while in Kismayo,”Mas’ud added.
On the next day, the journalist reported the threats he has received to the local police station and the Criminal Investigations Department. He was then told that investigations will be conducted but no response was provided until today.
He says he has now stopped complaining about any more for fear of his life.
“I am scared for my life that the soldier who threatened to kill me is at large and armed. The worst is that he was never questioned. Nobody will protect me if he comes now and kills me,” the journalist told SJS.
In July 2013, Mas’ud was shot and seriously injured by a Jubbaland police officer over critical report which was aired on local radio in Mogadishu. After several months in hospital, he was airlifted and treated in Nairobi. That attack has never been investigated, an indication of heightened Impunity against journalists and media workers in Somalia.
MOGADISHU – 22 May, 2019 – Somali Journalists Syndicate (SJS) strongly condemns act of shooting and endangering the lives of two journalists from Radio Kulmiye who were on reporting mission in Mogadishu on Wednesday morning 22 May, 2019 around 10:25am local time by Somali government police officers.
Police officers at Daljirka security checkpoint in Mogadishu shot two bullets at Abdullahi Hussein Anshur, a news reporter and three bullets at cameraman Mohamed Abdulkadir Jirow who were filming a scene of a car bomb Wednesday morning. Both were fortunately unhurt.
After shooting the two journalists who got frightened ran to a nearby shelter where two police men followed and pointed their guns while threatening to kill them.
“Around 10.25am my cameraperson and I went to the blast scene to get news sources and film it. Upon reaching the place, we saw dead and injured people and we became part of the first responders helping victims. After that we started to interview eyewitnesses and film the scene when a police officer shot us several times,” said journalist Abdullahi Hussein Anshur who spoke to Somali Journalists Syndicate (SJS) after the incident.
The two journalists said their journalistic equipments and mobile phones were confiscated by the police who had also beaten them. They were also held against their will in an open sunny ground and were refused to communicate their families to alert about their situation. They were released one hour and half later.
Journalist Anshur suffers a minor right hand bruises while his cameraman sustained back and hand bruises following the police beatings with guns. Both of them were unable to go back to their radio station due to the injuries they had sustained.
“The officer who had a machine gun directly fired us. And when he came to us he started beating me and my colleague,” cameraman Mohamed Abdulkadir Jirow told Somali Journalists Syndicate (SJS).
According to both journalists, the police officers who were from Waran Unit ordered the journalists to stop interviewing eyewitnesses of the blast scene and not to record film of the area.
“One of the officers came to us and threatened that he will kill us if we return back. He said it would be better you had died. Now you are lucky that you are alive,” cameraman Jirow said.
Somali Journalists Syndicate (SJS) calls for urgent investigation of today’s incident by the police, stop police brutality and allow media practitioners access to information.
“SJS condemns in the strongest terms possible against the police brutality, media restrictions on certain coverage including blast scenes,” SJS said, “We also calls for the government to ensure journalists’ safety and allow journalists to access information in order to be able to report freely to the public.”
SJS learned that there was unannounced order and restrictions by top Banadir Regional Police Command to prohibit journalists from going and reporting from blast scenes in the capital. We believe such order is meant only to conceal facts and to limit journalistic independence when reporting from explosion sites.
“We call that order be immediately lifted and allow journalists independently report news events without any restrictions.” SJS added.
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For more information, please contact Somali Journalists Syndicate (SJS)
Osoble-Adde Biulding, KM4 area, Near Hayat Hotel, Wadajir District, Mogadishu, Somalia
Tel: +252618363838/ +252 61 8251363
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Somali Journalists Syndicate (SJS) is an independent journalists’ trade union established in May 2019 by professional journalists to defend rights of working journalists, advocate for press freedom and provide legal aid. SJS is a member of Congress of African Journalists (CAJ) and CIVICUS,the global coalition of civil society organisations. Tel: +252 1 857551
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