Press Release

Somaliland Journalists Association (SOLJA) would like to thank the judiciary branch for

accepting the lawsuit case against the Interior Minister Mr. Ali Mohamed Waran’adde on

14/04.2016. The lawsuit opened by the court is about bringing the minister of interior to the

justice in order to sue him for his deliberate perpetration made to one of Somaliland

journalists named Abdi Fatah Ismail Arshe, whom the minister and his security guard

hijacked to the minster’s house and was arrested illegally after he was badly beaten on

26/03.2016.

The Journalist Association standing for the defence and promotion of journalists ‘rights, is

requesting from the attorney general and the commander of CID to investigate the crime

made by the minister as soon as possible in consideration to the complaint from the victim .

The Somaliland journalists association (SOLJA) is repeatedly criticizing any action

oppressing the freedom of press beyond the press law of Somaliland. Somaliland journalists

association has many court trail cases against the journalists and press agencies passed to the

court by the members of the Somaliland government officials. Therefore, SOLJA is

requesting from the judiciary branch to open lawsuits against one another which they have in

hand.

SOLJA believes that government officials and civilians are equal before the law. So that

SOLJA will disclose to the public any incidence about any government official trying to

oppress citizens and freedom of speech through misuse of power without respect to the

fundamental rights of citizens. SOLJA is also calling press agencies and journalist to respect

journalism ethics as stipulated in the national constitution and press law of Somaliland.

SOLJA Is also warning government officials to continue whatever deteriorating the

relationship between the press and the government institutions, although it is emerging that

the government officials are not showing any flexibility towards cooperating and establishing

working relationship with country’s media houses and journalists.

Also SOLJA is calling the government to stop the illegal arrest of journalists and should

respect the decisions issued by the meeting held on Wednesday between the press agencies,

security authorities and judiciary as said on the press statement issued from SOLJA.

Mohamoud Abdi Jama (Huuto)

Chairman of SOLJA