Somalia: Radio Kulmiye journalist detained in an undisclosed location after interviewing a businessman in Mogadishu

MOGADISHU, Somalia 18 October 2020 – Somali Journalists Syndicate (SJS) and Somali Media Association (SOMA) vehemently condemn the raid on the prominent Radio Kulmiye journalist, Abdullahi Kulmiye Addow’s home and his illegal detention by officers from the National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA) in Mogadishu on Saturday midnight 17 October 2020.

According to colleagues and family members, heavily armed NISA officers raided journalist Addow’s house in Mogadishu around 11:30 pm local time on Saturday leaving the family terrified and subsequently detained him. He has since been held at an undisclosed location.

The raid follows three days after the journalist’s interview with a businessman who allegedly supported the armed group al-Shabaab and criticised the Somali authorities, according to the director of Radio Kulmiye, Burhan Dini Farah and the radio editor Abdiqani Abdullahi.

When contacted, NISA did not respond and the police officials at the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) said they were not aware of the arrest nor was he detained at the CID.

SJS and SOMA are concerned about the physical and mental health conditions of journalist Abdullahi Kulmiye Addow. We call for his immediate and unconditional release and those responsible for the raid on his home should be brought to book.

“It is outrageous to hear that Abdullahi Kulmiye Addow’s house was raided and himself detained in an undisclosed location just for reporting a news story critical to the government. This is unacceptable. We call for his immediate and unconditional release,” Abdalle Ahmed Mumin, the secretary general of Somali Journalists Syndicate (SJS) said “Journalists and their media houses should be allowed to freely report on crucial news stories without fear of arrest or harassment even if they are not favored by the authorities.”

“The raid on Radio Kulmiye journalist, Abdullahi Kulmiye Addow’s house is a serious attack on press freedom in Somalia. His detention in an undisclosed location is also an abduction,” Mohamed Abduwahab Abdullahi, the secretary general of Somali Media Association (SOMA) said “We call authorities to stop harassing journalists and media houses deemed critical to the state.”(END)