National Union of Somali Journalists

The National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ) today condemns powerful shutting down of Radio Galkayo by Puntland police and the arrest of journalist Hassan Mohammed Jama, director of the Radio station.

Commander of Puntland Police in Mudug Region Colonel Abdirisak Ismail, publicly known Darwish, with a battlewagon of well-armed policemen raided the Radio station at 14:00hrs local time and ordered the staff to shutdown the radio. Colonel Darwish also ordered his soldiers to arrest Director of the Radio Hassan Mohammed Jama.

The Police Commander told the Director of the Radio station the order to arrest him and to shutdown the Radio station was issued by Puntland President General Adde Muse, who is currently visiting Galkayo.

Journalists in Galkayo told NUSOJ that the Puntland President made this order following a news report that Radio Galkayo aired today on the visit of the president in Galkayo. In the report, Radio Galkayo stated that the president’s visit relates with his campaign for upcoming presidential elections and unverified report of the president receiving weapons from abroad at Galkayo Airport.

“Desperate Leaders of Puntland accustomed to target the media by either shutting it down or trying to make the media their puppet” said Omar Faruk Osman, NUSOJ Secretary General. “Puntland must return the freedom of Hassan Mohammed Jama and allow Radio Galkayo to operate without restraint”.