The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has spoken out strongly against the decision by Somaliland authorities to arrest three local journalists.
On December 31, CPJ issued a statement calling upon authorities to release the three journalists “unconditionally.”
Police arrested Abdifatah Mohamed Abdi on December 26 in Las Anod.
They then arrested Hamse Abdi Ahmed and Abdikhadar Farah Abshir on December 30.
Abdifatah works with Holhol Media, Hamse is a freelance journalist, and Abdikhadar is a reporter with Universal TV, a privately owned media station in Somaliland.
Apparently, all three were arrested after criticizing the Sool administration.
Muthoki Mumo, the CPJ Sub-Saharan African Representative, said that the state was wrong to arrest the journalists.
“The media must be allowed to continue providing members of the public with a platform for expressing dissenting or controversial views,” Mumo said.