Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF) in a letter to Hassan Ali Khayre, Prime Minster of Somalia to expressed serious concern over the arrest of journalist Omar Ali Hassan after returning from Mogadishu on July 8.
PPF Secretary General Owais Aslam Ali demanded immediate and unconditional release of Hassan and also urged Somali government must respect journalist’s right to freedom of movement across the country, especially free access to Mogadishu and the rest of southern regions so that they can perform their journalistic work without fear of any restrictions.
Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF), an independent non-governmental institution committed to promoting and defending freedom of expression is writing to expresses
According to National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ), Hassan, works for Mogadishu-based privately owned radio station, Goobjoog, was travelling his wife. Somaliland authorities arrested him at the airport.
Police official cleared that Hassan detention was made after the order passed by Ministry of interior. Hassan have not officially charged by the authorizes. He is currently detained at Hargeisa’s central police station.
Journalists in Hargeisa believe that Hassan dentation because of his media work in Mogadishu, and Somaliland is putting pressure on journalists who hail from its regions not to work for media houses established in Southern Somalia, and is using such an arrest to intimidate other journalists who would want to go to southern regions for media related work.
