Somalia: Farmajo linked to arrest and detention of a journalist

MOGADISHU, Somalia - The President of Somalia Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo played a role in the arrest and subsequent detention of a local journalist in Mogadishu, GoobJoog Media has claimed, in the latest dramatic crackdown against the media fraternity within Somalia.

Abdiaziz Ahmed Gurbiye was arrested on Tuesday at Hodan Police station where he had reported in the honor of state summons. He had been summoned on April.13 night for unknown reasons, a statement by the media group said.

Upon arrival at the station, the senior journalist, who doubles as GoobJoog Deputy Director, was kept waiting for many hours along with a section of his colleagues who had accompanied him, reports indicate.

Shortly after, he was told that "you're under arrest. We have a warrant of arrest from the Attorney General acting on behalf of the office of the president". According to the statement, the renowned journalist is still under detention.

President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo, the Media House claimed, was pursuing the journalist over a post in social media where he sensationally claimed that the president had taken a ventilator from COVID-19 facility.

While terming the arrest and detention as "violation of the law and primitive", the media house demanded "immediate and unconditional release". Further, it said, the arrest amounts to "harassment and intimidation" of journalists in Somalia.

Recently, Somalia was ranked among countries where journalists find it "difficult" to work across the world. Besides harassment, intimidations, the reporters are also subjected to arbitrary arrests and assassinations, Amnesty International said in a report titled "we live in perpetual fear" in February.

Somalia's government and Al-Shabaab were identified as "immediate danger" for the reporters, whose work was also being censored by government bureaucrats contrary to media regulations, the report added.

Spy agency NISA under Fahad Yasin was also named as the main "terror" group unleashing against journalists. NISA, the added, had conspired with Facebook to delete accounts owned by "radical" journalists.

A fortnight ago, in a post that caused social media outrage, NISA accused renowned journalist Harun Maruf of "committing acts outside his jurisdictions". The agency threatened to take legal action against the VOA reporter, terming him an "existential danger" to Somalia.

The latest dramatic arrest of Ahmed has also sparked social media outrage, with the Federation for Somalia Journalists terming the arrest "illegal". His case, the union added, "is a civil rather than criminal case so his detention is so worrying during pandemic COVID-19".

"The arrest of Goobjoognews editor Abdulaziz Gurbiye is a clear violation of Human Rights and freedom of expression as well and I call the @TheVillaSomalia to release him ASAP," said Ilyas Ali Hassan, a Somali senator.

For Abdirizak Mohamed, a federal MP, the arrest was a violation of the law and amounted to intimidation and muzzling of press freedom in the federal republic of Somalia. The opposition MP called for the "immediate and unconditional" release of the journalist.

"To detain a journalist on the authority of the president and the AG to act as part of the executive branch. This is why citizens lost confidence in the judiciary system and go to Al-Shabab courts to seek justice," he added.

Somalia is battling with a Coronavirus pandemic. So far, over 65 people have tested positive for COVID-19. Of that number, two have since died and once fully recovered, the health department said.

While it's not clear whether or not the president picked the ventilators, it's however known that the country received the machines as a donation from the United Arab Emirates and Chinese billionaire philanthropist Jack Ma recently.

By last year, over 28 journalists had fled Somalia due to fear for FGS and Al-Shabaab persecution, causing retribution from human rights groups and other international partners.

GAROWE ONLINE