Somali Journalists are concerned about the way the Detained Journalist's case handled and Call for his Urgent Release
MOGADISHU, Somalia, January 23, 2013/African Press Organization (APO)/ -- The National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ) is concerned about the continued detention of the Somali journalist in the CID detention for the 13th day without charges, meanwhile the union welcome the solidarity Somali prime Minister, Abdi Farah Shirdoon shared with the Somali Journalists toward the protection of the Somali journalists and his commitment in ending the era of impunity.
The journalist, Abdiaziz Abdinur Ibrahim, who has been held since January 10, appeared at the Attorney General office on Tuesday 22, January, 2012, along with the other five people detained in connection with the rape case. It was expected the hearing to take place on Tuesday, but was delayed by the Somali Attorney General, Dr.
Abdulkadir Mohamed Muse and ordered the journalist and others detained in connection of this case be returned to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), until the investigation is completed. The Somali attorney did not mention the exact time the case hearing might start, though, he promised that the hearing will be invited to all journalists.
The National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ) is worried the way the case has been handled and urges the Somali government to release the journalist and then launch an independent body to investigate the matter, since the investigation is taking longer than expected.
"We have been expecting the hearing to take place today, but was delayed," Mohamed Ibrahim, NUSOJ Secretary General said, "On behalf of the Somali journalists, I call for the Somali government to release the journalist and launch an independent commission to thoroughly investigate the bottom of this case."
The journalist is accused of interviewing a woman, who alleged being raped by state security forces. The interview has not been published on any media outlet. At the same time, the Somali Police claims that this journalist is the author of a reportage that appeared on Al Jazeera/Universal TV. The police searched Abdulasis's home twice, took his laptop and digital voice recorder.
In addition to the journalist, the police is investigating five
persons: the woman whom he interviewed as a rape victim, her husband, the social worker who assisted the case when it was first reported to a service provider and two person who acted as intermediaries and put the journalist in touch with the woman. Four are detained. The arrest warrant was temporarily suspended from rape victim and the social worker due to breast feeding, but they have to report to the CID every morning.
However, the National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ) welcomes the commitment and the solidarity of the prime minister of Somalia, his excellency, Abdi Farah Shirdoon "Saacid" expressed to the Somali journalists toward to the protection of Journalists and ending the impunity and the journalists request the Prime Minister to make his solidarity in action and release the journalist in the detention and the Journalists against request the prime minister to form urgently the task force that the president announced in November 2012.