Al-shabab arrested a Somalia Journalist and likely face death sentence.

Muhidiin Hassan Mohamed was arrested yesterday night by members of Alshabab who control Bay region Somalia where he was reporting for Shabelle Media Inc.

Mr. Muhiyadiin was given a call by Alshabab members to confirm his availability in his house and then they came to his house and took him to the cell where he spent yesterday night according Ms Ubah Mohamed a close relative member of the journalist.

Alshabab members who arrested the reporter did not give comments of his arrest and the reason they arrested him but Sources close to Alshabab forces who control Bay region are indicating that Alshabab may bring the reporter today to their own court and sentence him to death penalty.

This year only two Somali journalist were killed, while another two were seriously injured and several others arrested. It was on Thursday 9 when Al-shabaab Group closed radio Mandeeq in Balad hawo of the Gedo region of Somalia.

On Monday 30 march, 2009 the Somali Journalist Right Agency (SOJRA) has released press regarding the situation of the media of Somalia as it is heading into danger.

SOJRA told that the danger and the problem that Somalia media was having in the country has now added to have similarly from abroad, which is coming from some of United Nations Agencies based in Nairobi, Kenya.

“Still it exists the yesterday’s danger of the media and it does not seem that it will end, since the United Nations Agencies interfering the affairs of the freedom media “The director of SOJRA Daud Abdi Daud said that, while he was speaking to the media of both local and International.

The director added that the UN-Agencies who are danger to the Somalia’s Media are United Nations Political Office for Somalia (UNPOS) and United Nations Development Program for Somalia (UNDP-Somalia) in which the recent months looks that they fighting against Somali Media.

It was on earlier February while the UN special envoy to Somalia Ahmadu Aold Abdalla indicated that the Somali media is same with the Rwanda’s one named Mille Colline Radio which done the genocide of the Rwandan people.

While this is exist on 24 March, 2009 the media relations specialist of UNDP-Somalia Kaltun Hassan indicated to the Somalia’s media those can not be helped because they do not know the English language and UNDP having problems with them, she said these word in a meeting place where was discussing about the Somali media low being approved by the parliament.

While the director was asked media he said “It surprising , if UNDP-Somalia wants to help the Somali media , we can bring more then 30 reporters fled from their country and based in Nairobi whose are better knew the English language more then her , and let UNDP-Somalia help”.

Finally SOJRA has announced to the Somalia media to have their best attention and keep in touch what is happening to them and reply it appropriately, peacefully and responsibly.

For more information please contact: Tel: +25215164783 Email: press@sojra.org or visit: www.sojra.org

Sudanese Editor Arrested under Very Suspicious Circumstances

The editor-in-chief of Ajras El-Hurriyya, one of the very few independent publications in Sudan, was arrested yesterday and taken into custody after he announced he would be traveling to Germany.

Alhaj Warrag had been dealing with local authorities trying to clear the way for his trip and asking court authorities whether he needed to fulfill his judicial obligations as prescribed by a criminal defamation process that dates back to 2007.

After the pertinent court authorities told him there was no rush to complete the process, he decided to postpone these bureaucratic procedures.

According to sources from Ajras El-Hurriyya (Arabic for “bells of freedom”), after Warrag announced his plans to travel to Germany next week, he was arrested, taken to prison and told he will not be released until he fulfills his court obligations, including the payment of a fine.

Ajras El-Hurriyya is one of the very few publications left in Sudan that strives to offer different points of view about the country’s most pressing issues.

But this has come at a high cost. Warrag and his staff have been subject to frequent harassment and intimidation by government agents, and their publication has been regularly censored by the authorities. In fact, on Thursday, the newspaper had to cancel its print edition because of an article that censors found too uncomfortable.

Sudan is still reeling from the dire consequences of one of the longest, most devastating armed conflicts in Africa’s history. Its international reputation is at its all-time low just when the country is in dire need of foreign aid and assistance to tackle its very grave problems.

In these critical times, a free and independent media that seeks the truth and duly informs the public constitutes a critical component of any dreams of recovery.
Warrag and “Bells of Freedom” need to be left alone.

The leaders of Federation of African Human Rights Activists ( FAHRO ) www.fahra.org fated and requested the Sudanese president General Omar Hassan Al-bashir to allows the journalist his rights to travel in Germany.