NUSOJ Calls For The Immediate Release Of TV Journalist Arrested In Jowhar

The National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ) condemns in the strongest terms possible the arrest of a Somali journalist in the town of Jowhar, the Headquarters of Hirshabelle State, 90 km North of the Somali capital Mogadishu, on Thursday afternoon, December 28, 2017, by the police.

Abdishakur Abdullahi Ahmed known as Shaashaa who is the Director of City FM a local FM is now is being held in a police station in Jowhar where officials say the journalist is being interrogated a false report he recently did.

Middle Shabelle regional administration which NUSOJ contacted to clarify the issue of journalist detention said they said that Abdishakur is being accused false reports he has been releasing nowadays and will be brought to justice soon.

Abdishakur Shaashaa is also the reporter of RTN TV a Nairobi based TV and was working in Jowhar in the last two years. Journalist Abdishakur Shaashaa is an active member of National Union of Somali Journalist Union (NUSOJ) and the role he had last NUSOJ General Assembly in Mogadishu in May 2016 was praised.

“We condemn in the strongest terms possible and call for the for his unconditional release.” Mohamed Ibrahim Moalimuu, Secretary-General of the National Union of Somali Journalists said, “We call upon the administration to respect the media freedoms and freedom of expression which is currently under threat and without which democratic societies can not develop.”

This is not the first time that Abdishakur Shaashaa is arrested in Jowhar, in July 2016 he was arrested after interviewing IDPs who accused local authority of misappropriating aid food.

Director of RTN TV in Mogadishu Ahmed Abdi Haadi told NUSOJ that they are very sorry to hear the arrest of their correspondent in Jowhar and appealed the administration to release him without condition.