The Federation of Somali Journalists (FESOJ) has condemned the decision by authorities in Somaliland to arrest a local journalist.
Ilyas Abdi Ali was arrested in Somaliland’s capital of Hargeisa on Monday September 14.
Ilyas works as a freelance reporter for Radio Ergo, which specializes in disseminating humanitarian news and information.
Officers from the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) arrested him in the evening near his home.
On Tuesday morning, he was presented before the Marodi-jeex Regional Court.
Mohamed Moalimuu, FESOJ’s Secretary General, said that his organization “condemned Ilyas’ arrest in the strongest terms possible.”
In a press release, Moalimuu stated that authorities in Somaliland arrested Ilyas to intimidate journalists from exposing unpleasant facts about the country to the world.
FESOJ urged the government to facilitate the “unconditional and immediate” release of Ilyas from detention.