Galmudug Court Hands Prison Sentences To Journalist For “Fake News”

A court in Galmudug capital, Dhusamareb has sentenced a local journalist, Mohamed Abdiweli Tohow to six months in jail for false reports on Sunday.

The court said the reporter working for a local Radio Station and London-based TV has reported alleged ‘false news’ regarding the security of Galmudug.

A journalists’ rights group condemned the sentence handed to the journalist, terming it “unlawful punishment” and called for his immediate and unconditional release.

Galmudug Intelligence personnel arrested the journalist on September 22 over a report broadcast the previous day for the Mogadishu-based Radio station.

Somalia is ranked one of the most dangerous places in the world to be a journalist as the Horn of Africa country still remains volatile and facing security challenges.