Press Release: Arrest of Radio Horyaal Director - Mohamed Osman Mire

Press Release. Arrest of Radio Horyaal's Director Mohamed Osman Mire (sayid) Media Rights Somaliland (MeRiS) came to know that Mr Mohamed OSman Mire (Sayid) – Radio Horyaal's director was arrested on Saturday 5.9.2009 and is now detained at the central police station in Hargeisa. Mr Mire was arrested while taking coverage of a parliamentary meeting regarding a proposed motion on Impeachment of the president of Somaliland Mr Dahir Riyaale.

So far no comment was received from the police and the government regarding his arrest. This is the 3rd time Mr Mire was detained in 2009. MeRiS is condemning this arrest and the other similar ones that has happened in Somaliland for the past few months. We are calling for the government to release him immediately and allow him to exercise his constitutional rights as a journalist. MeRiS is worried about the increasing acts of arrest, torture and intimidation by the government of Somaliland towards the media at a time when the presidential term is coming to an end.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________ Media Rights Somaliland MeRiS media.rights@yahoo.com Hargeisa, Somaliland