Editor Arrested Over Human Rights Reporting in Somaliland

Mohamud Abdi Jama, aka Huuto

The Somaliland Journalists Association (SOLJA) condemns the arrest of an editor of a privately-owned newspaper in Hargeisa, Somaliland.

Mohamud Abdi Jama, aka Huuto, the editor-in-chief of Waaheen newspaper, was arrested on 13 December 2012 at the Central Investigations Department (CID) after he responded to a summons.

Jama was detained after officials from the Somaliland presidency reportedly brought an arrest warrant issued by the Hargeisa Regional Court to the CID headquarters. He was informed by CID commander Mohamed Muse Abraar that he was under arrest.

The CID has said Jama was accused of reporting on an unsubstantiated allegation made at a press conference held by human rights defenders regarding human rights violations in Somaliland. The CID further stated that Waaheen newspaper specifically cited in its human rights report that the Somaliland president's son in-law is collecting hundreds of thousands of US dollars from Somaliland Television, a television network controlled and managed by the Somaliland government.

Officers at the CID informed Jama that he has to provide evidence of the allegations against the Somaliland president's son in-law. SOLJA was, however, informed that the allegations were made by the chair of the Somaliland Human Rights Network, Suleiman Xuuquq.

Jama was scheduled to appear before a Hargeisa regional court to face charges of publishing unsubstantiated allegations.

SOLJA fears that the problems with publishing and distributing newspapers, arrests of journalists and defamation legal actions against editors are part of a calculated campaign to silence the print media in Somaliland.