ASOJ condemns Puntland for its arrest local TV director.

Bosaso 18 March  2009

Associated Somali Journalists (ASOJ) is condemning the arrest of the director of the Somalia’s ETN TV channel in Bosaso town in the semi-autonomous region of Puntland in northeast Somalia on Tuesday.

Puntland policemen today raided the office of the TV and arrested its director Abdiweli Sheik, reports say.

“I am very sorry about the arrest of the ETN TV director and this is absolutely against the rights of the journalists,” said Dahir Abdulle Alasow, the chiarman of ASOJ.

It is not clear why Puntland government jailed the chief of the ETN TV.

ASOJ is expressing its deep concern over the detention of the TV’s director describing it as in violation of human rights and freedom of speech.

ASOJ is calling for Puntland authorities to release the journalist immediately and unconditionally.



By ASOJ Spokesman,Sunni Said Saleh
Associated Somali Journalists (ASOJ)
Mogadishu-Somalia (Office)
sunni@asoj.org
asoj@asoj.org