Somali Women Media Association (SOMWA) has condemned the arrest of Abdi Aziz Ahmed Gurbiye, deputy director of Goobjoog Media by Somali Federal Government police in Mogadishu on Wednesday 14th April 2020 after reporting against the president of Somalia.
This represents a significant discourage on freedom of expression and Media freedom in the country and all forms of electronic and web-based media as COVID-19 threatens the human lives.
Maryan Seylac the executive director of SOMWA said the arrest of the journalist is unacceptable. It is an attack on media freedom. We are in difficult time to fight the pandemic of COVID-19.”
“It is more than 24 hours and Mr. Abdi Aziz didn’t yet get any justice. We call for immediate release of Gurbiye who has been detained in Mogadishu,” Maryan Seylac said.
“In Somalia Constitution, article 35, says every person who is arrested has the right to be brought before a court within 48 hours, so we call for justice or immediate release of the journalist,” Maryan Added.
SOWMA is urging Somali government to stop the oppression of the independent media and allow the journalists to exercise their rights of reporting.
