Radio man held in Somalia
2008-04-21 13:27
Mogadishu - Somali police on Monday arrested a radio journalist in the capital, where two days of heavy clashes killed 56 people at the weekend, one of his colleagues said.
Radio Shabelle news editor Abdi Mohamed Osmail was arrested on his way to work, Ahmed Omar Hashi, the radio's programmes editor, said. He added: "We are not sure of the reason behind his arrest."
Government forces had in the past raided local radio stations, accusing them of fanning insurgent violence.
"There was a news item that we broadcast yesterday (Sunday) about Somali forces stealing a truck. Perhaps they are not pleased with that news report and that is why they took him," Hashi said.
Ethiopian forces backing Somali government troops and Islamist insurgents clashed heavily in the capital on Saturday and Sunday, killing dozens of civilians.
Last week, police held five journalists working for a private radio for hours for covering an attack by Islamist militia.
The station reported that the rebels had overpowered Somali police in the attack, thus annoying the government, staff members said. Press watchdogs had chided Somalia for its heavy-handed crackdown on free press.
The war-wracked Horn of Africa nation was ranked as the world's second-deadliest country for journalists by the New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists.