Somalia: NUSOJ protests journalists' suspension

MOGADISHU: The National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ) yesterday, 11 November 2010, protested against the Puntland administration's suspension of independent broadcast journalists in Bossasso, Bari region. Mayor of Bossasso city, Mohamud Farah Beldaje announced at a press conference that he suspended journalists Ahmed Muse Ali and Ahmed Mohamud Mohamed who work for Universal TV and Horn Cable TV respectively.

The Bossasso mayor accused the two journalists of reporting "news against Puntland people and government," and that the two reporters have been interviewing people who are "mentally imbalanced" without explaining the allegations. Beldaje added that he informed his decision to the Puntland Ministry of Information, police chief, chair of first-level court and Puntland prosecutor.

"It is blatantly clear that this administration is trying to find a pretext to interfere with the work of the journalists and to dictate what to report on," said NUSOJ secretary general Omar Faruk Osman. "The administration must allow journalists their right to do their work without any form of interference, suspension or harassment," he added.