Sabahi Online
Monday, March 11, 2013
Somali police on Saturday (March 9th) assaulted and detained five
journalists covering the regional court in Mogadishu, according to the
National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ).
NUSOJ said Regional court Chairman Hashi Elmi Nor had invited the
journalists to cover hearings at the court, but when they assembled
outside, police officers began harassing them and threatening them with
violence, Somalia's RBC Radio reported.
"We condemn the beating and the arbitrary detentions against the
journalists and it is unlawful to knowingly point guns to the
messengers," said NUSOJ Secretary-General Mohamed Ibrahim. "The
journalists must be respected and facilitated in carrying out their
duties."
In a separate incident, police beat and briefly detained journalist
Abdullahi Ahmed Nor of UK-based Universal Television on Thursday. Nor
was injured in the police beating and is now in hospital receiving
treatment,