MOGADISHU (Halbeeg)- International Media Watchdog has condemned the arrest of a local journalist in the breakaway Somaliland.
Ahmed Hori who works for privately owned Horn Cable TV was on Monday after police officers raided his house in Borama town, about 120km West of Hargeisa.
International Freedom of Journalists (IFJ) called for the immediate release of Hori.
“The IFJ strongly condemned the arbitrary detention and urges the Somaliland authorities to unconditionally release Horri,” the agency said in a statement.
The IFJ has also concerned about recent attacks against journalists by Somaliland authorities which have the effect of silencing criticism, public protests and suppressing the dissemination of information on the territorial conflict.
IFJ remarks on the heels of the statement of National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ) calling for the release of the journalist.
Hori’s arrested was reportedly ordered by the Governor of Awdil region Mr. Abdirahman Ahmed Ali.
According to his fellow journalists in Borama town, the governor was infuriated by a question posed by Horri in a press conference on 30 June.
The journalist had questioned the governor about the activities of a secessionist armed movement in the Awdal region.
Consistent with the information given by the same sources, the governor rang the journalist on the night of 30 June and threatened him with arrest.
The journalist is still detained at Borama police station and has not been officially charged with any crime.
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