Congress of African Journalists calls for release of Somali journalist Abdalle Ahmed Mumin

CAJ say the arrest of Abdalle Ahmed Mumin had sent a wrong and unwarranted signal of state intimidation to the media fraternity.[Standard, file]

The Congress of African Journalists (CAJ) has called on Somali authorities to free journalist Abdalle Ahmed Mumin arrested on October 11, 2022 by the National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA).

Mumin, the Secretary-General of the Somali Journalists Syndicate (SJS and also a member of CAJ, was arrested at the Aden Ade International Airport in Mogadishu as he prepared to fly to Nairobi.

In a statement on Friday, October 14, CAJ described Mumin, as a prominent and consistent voice for press freedom and the rights of journalists in Somalia.

"We join our Somalia affiliate SJS in calling on the authorities to immediately release Abdalle Mumin and promote the spirit of dialogue and consultation with the media industry and avoid intimidation of journalists in the cause of duty," said the CAJ President Chirstopher Isiguzo.

Isiguzo said the arrest of the press freedom crusader and union leader had sent "a wrong and unwarranted signal of state intimidation to the media fraternity".

"CAJ stands in solidarity with the Somali journalists' fraternity in the face of their tribulations and urge them to stand firm in doing their national duty of informing the Somali people and the world about the situation in the country," he added.

Mumin's arrest followed protests by the journalists' fraternity in Somalia on October 10,2022 over a new government directive that bans media coverage of what the government terms "Spreading Al-Shabaab propaganda".

"CAJ stands in solidarity with the Somali journalists fraternity in the face of their tribulations and urge them to stand firm in doing their national duty of informing the Somali people and the world about the situation in the country," said Isiguzo

Isiguzo further condemned the raid of the SJS offices, saying the incident had created tension and a climate of fear among local journalists doing their legitimate duties.