The Federation of Somali Journalists (FESOJ) has condemned the decision by a Mogadishu court to sentence Abdiaziz Ahmed Gurbiye to six months in jail.
On Wednesday, Banadir Regional Court hit journalist Gurbiye with a six-month sentence in jail.
It found him guilty of the charges the state brought against him under Article 328 and Article 269 of the Penal Code.
Mohamed Yasin, the presiding judge, said that Goobjoog Media Group’s Deputy Director was guilty of breaching articles 328 and 269 of the country’s Penal Code.
FESOJ believes that Gurbiye was charged under one of the country’s harshest and most outdated Penal Codes.
He also gave Gurbiye an option of converting his jail sentence to a fine by paying $200, which is equivalent to 5 million Somali Shillings.
FESOJ faulted the decision to file the charges against Gurbiye after President Mohamed Farmaajo promised to reform the country’s outdated criminal codes.
Farmaajo made this promise early this year while celebrating the World’s Press Freedom Day.
At the time, Farmaajo expressed his commitment to reforming the codes that had been used to intimidate, harass, and detain journalists.