SOMESHA worried the arrest of humanitarian journalist in Somalia

The Somali Media for Environment, Science, Health and Agriculture (SOMESHA) condemned the arrest of prominent humanitarian reporter Abdulasis Abdinur Ibrahim better known as “koronto” by the Somali Police at CID headquarter in Mogadishu on 10 January, 2013 and calls his immediate release without condition as soon as possible.

A journalist Koronto is one of the most active and well experienced journalists operating in Mogadishu, Somalia, who also works for Radio Ergo based in Nairobi in which financially supported by the Denmark based International Media Support (IMS) and the privately owned Mogadishu based Dalsan Radio.

According to the National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ) the journalist was accused of interviewing a woman who said that she was raped by the members of the Somali army. The CID also questioned Omar Faruk, a Somali journalist who reports to AlJazeera Arabic. After questioning, he was told that he was free to go.

As journalist koronto speaking to NUSOJ office by phone he said "I received a phone call this afternoon from the number of the woman I interviewed, but, It was Gen. Barise, the CID chief and told me to come to the CID headquarters."When I came to the CID, I saw the woman, who was the rape victim and the lady who introduced to her, I was asked if I interviewed this lady and I said, Yes, I interviewed, later I was told that I was under arrest."

The Secretary General of SOMESHA Mr. Daud Abdi Daud who was shocked the way the journalist arrested said” I” believe Gen. Barise was used in a criminal tactics or kidnapers fashion to arrest the journalist as he was used the victim lady cell phone to hijack the journalist even its obviously clear that the lady was also hijacked and harassed”.

“This horrified arrest underlines and tells us the way the government is going to act the freedom of expression, press freedom, human rights and the access to information” Mr. Daud added

SOMESHA calls immediate release and requested the human rights community, African Union and the United Nations to intervenes the situation and make sure even the safety of the journalist.