Somali journalist held without charge
New York, December 27, 2007— A reporter who took photographs of French journalist Gwen LeGouil in custody with his kidnappers in Somalia’s semi-autonomous northeastern region of Puntland has been detained since Sunday without charge, local journalists told CPJ. Awale Jama Salad, a freelance journalist based in the port city of Bossasso, exclusively met with LeGouil and…
Somali journalist killed in car accident
New York, December 26, 2007— The Committee to Protect Journalists extends its condolences to the colleagues and family of Abdulkadir Ali Hosh, an online journalist based in Somalia’s semi-autonomous northeastern region of Puntland, who died in the line of duty in a car accident on Monday evening. Hosh, 40, editor of the Somali news Web site…
French journalist kidnapped in Puntland
New York, December 18, 2007—CPJ is concerned for the safety of award-winning French journalist Gwen LeGouil, who was kidnapped just outside the port town of Bossasso on Sunday by five unknown gunmen in Somalia’s semi-autonomous northeastern region of Puntland. LeGouil is being held hostage in a mountainous area with no access to medicine or clean…
Somaliland expels 24 journalists
New York, December 5, 2007–CPJ condemns the Somaliland authorities’ decision to expel 24 Somali journalists from Hargeisa, the capital of the northern breakaway republic. The group had recently fled there to escape ongoing persecution in Mogadishu, Somalia. Yesterday, Somaliland Police Chief General Mohammed Saqadhi Dubad and the head of the Criminal Investigations Department, General Ahmed…
Somali government silences three radio stations in two days
New York, November 13, 2007—Somalia’s U.S. and Ethiopian-backed government has forced three prominent private radio stations off the air since Monday over their coverage of the bloody conflict centered in Mogadishu, according to news reports and local journalists. In a press conference today, Mogadishu Mayor Mohamed “Dheere” Omar Habeeb accused the private stations Radio Banadir…
Radio Shabelle manager assassinated
New York, October 19, 2007—The acting manager of the independent Somali station Radio Shabelle was assassinated outside his home in Mogadishu today by unknown gunmen, according to station employees and local journalists. Bashiir Noor Gedi was attempting to return to his home in the Hamar Jadid neighborhood after he and other Radio Shabelle employees had…