Journo detained in Puntland
2008-08-18 08:00
Mogadishu - A journalist from Somalia's semi-autonomous Puntland region was arrested on Sunday for having interviewed a presidential candidate before the official start of the campaign, his employer said.
"The local authorities in Puntland banned interviewing and broadcasting the speeches of the candidates, but we ignored (the ban) and interviewed one of the presidential candidates last night," Ali Yusuf, director of Daljir Radio which employs detained reporter Mohamed Mohamoud Mohamed, told AFP.
"The police arrested him today," Yusuf added, describing the detention as "a grave violation against the free press".
The arrest came a day after Puntland authorities barred media coverage of the presidential campaign until it officially kicks off on November 3.
The 66-member parliament, due to be renewed in December, is expected to vote December 30 for a successor to current president Ade Muse Hirsi.
Presidential advisor Bile Mohamoud Qabowsade said interviewing presidential candidates violated election coverage rules, adding that journalists had been warned accordingly.
Puntland declared itself autonomous in August 1998. Another region, Somaliland, split from Somalia in 1991.