MAP condemns sentencing of journalist by Puntland military court

GAROWE, Puntland - Puntland Media Association [MAP] has joined a growing voice of press rights groups condemning the jailing of journalist Kilwe Aden Farah in Garowe, Puntland capital on Wednesday.

Farah, a freelance journalist was controversially handed a three-month jail term by the local military court in an unprecedented decision, even though it found no evidence on the charge he faced: recording a torn image of President Deni.

The Puntland Media Association (MAP) said it condemns in the strongest terms a three-month jail sentence handed down by Puntland military court on the journalist for exercising his journalistic work.

The court announced the verdict on Wednesday without factual proof in the charges brought against Kilwe who has been arrested by the police last December for the coverage of protests in Garowe city.

“The lack of evidence in Kilwe's case and the verdict are contradictory and are against Article 87 of the Puntland constitution. The military court has no jurisdiction over a civilian,” said MAP in a statement.

The journalist’s jail term begins from the day he was detained, said the court. MAP described Kilwe's arrest and sentencing as “illegal and unacceptable” that a journalist is impersonated.

MAP has demanded a swift response from the government of Puntland over the unlawful sentence and urged the military court to refrain from such prosecution conflicting Puntland constitution.

Finally, MAP warned against the recurrence of such issues that threaten democracy and press freedom in Puntland, the oldest Federal state in Somalia.

GAROWE ONLINE