The National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ) condemns in the strongest terms possible to the arrest of the television journalist by the Puntland police in Garowe on Thursday, the latest in a series of attacks against the press freedom and the freedom of expression in the Puntland State of Somalia.
The Garowe Central Police station summoned Jama Deparani, who works for Somali Channel Television on Thursday morning November 19, 2015 and was arrested upon arrival without court orders, according to the Media Association of Puntland (MAP). The arrest follows after the Puntland authorities suspended the Deperani Show in a decree issued by the information ministry of Puntland last week, which the journalist used to present by the Somali language television, Somali Channel, calling it more critical to the Puntland authroties.
The National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ) condemns the brutal act of suppression and the arrest of the Jama Deperani and calls upon the Puntland authorities to unconditionally release Jama Deperani and Allow his Deperani Show to go live with respect to the federal constitution and the Puntland constitution as both guarantee to freedom of expression and the media freedoms.
“We stand with solidarity with Media Association of Puntland and entire media fraternity in condemning the arrest of Jama Deperani and the appalling act of intimidation against the media workers over their granted freedoms.†Mohamed Ibrahim, NUSOJ Secretary General said, “We call upon the Puntland authority to unconditionally release Jama Deperani and allow Deperani Show to go live on television agaon.â€
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For further information, please contact:
National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ)
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