Omar Mohamed Soomane who works for Radio Kulmiye and was also working with London based television, Universal TV was released on bond after several hours in jail.
Soomane was on Wednesday evening by Puntland police in Garowe town over a recent report filled from Garowe to Kulmiye radio based in Mogadishu citing controversy between the Puntland Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Education of Federal Government over national exams and the issuance of secondary school certificates.
In a statement, Federation of Somali Journalists (FESOJ) has condemned the illegal arrest of journalist Omar Mohamed Soomaane.
The journalist, who was forced to give an apology posted on his Facebook on 4th February a text titled “Full apology” but unfortunately that didn’t save him from the intended detention.
“Omar Mohamed Soomane is a well-respected journalist in all Somali territories, FESOJ believes that his arbitrary detention is illegal and not due process, “Mohamed Ibrahim Moalimuu FESOJ General Secretary said on Thursday”
FESOJ stated the Journalists should not be intimidated and arrested without a court warrant saying “If anyone complains about a report filled by a reporter it must go through a legal process but not totally violate the right of journalists to provide the public with the information they need.”
In various parts of Somalia, arrests, intimidation and other violations against journalists and media workers are still going massively, so FESOJ calls on all parties to respect the article 18 of country’s provisional constitution, which fully guarantees freedom of speech and freedom of media .
