Hiiraan Online
Sunday February 18, 2018
Mogadishu (HOL) - Police in Somaliland on Saturday arrested the Hargeisa bureau chief of Universal TV, the region's media watchdog confirmed.
Somaliland's Human Right Centre has said that Mohamed Aabi Digaale was arrested for airing a news report broadcasted by the London based television network in early this month.
Somaliland Journalists Association (SOLJA) said Digaale was arrested by the police without a valid court warrant.
Chairperson of SOLJA, Mohamoud Abdi Jama has called for the immediate release of the journalist.
Somaliland government has not commented on the arrest the journalist.
Separately, the Somaliland administration arrested Abdirisaq Ismail Hassan who is a licensed lawyer.
Hassan was subsequently brought before a military court which remanded him into custody.
The Somaliland government has been accused of detaining individuals suspected of criticising the administration or expressing views sympathetic to Somali unity.
Naema Ahmed Ibrahim, a female poet was arrested on 27th January this year for alleged Facebook post on unification of Somalia.