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BOSASO RADIO STATION SHUTDOWN BRIEFLY BY LOCAL GOVERNMENT May 25, 2005
<|sbc_online.gif||left|>Two employees of a leading FM radio station, which reaches three large cities in Puntland, northeastern Somalia were arrested last night by local authorities.
The head of the station Mr. Mowlid Haji Abdi and his co-worker, Mr. Mohamud Abdirahman Rood were at the station when officers from newly created agency, PIS (Puntland Intelligent Services) showed up at the station’s door.
The two men were taken to a detention center in Bosaso and spent the night in shackles. They were set free this morning after Puntland president intervened and demanded their prompt release.
The detention stems from rift between Qardo city and the regional administration. SBC Radio aired reports regarding the lack of support from the regional government when the city was in emergency situation and in dire need of help. Qardho suffered from heavy floods last week and earlier this month.
Earlier this month, a judge in Garoe city freed two defendants who were jailed after their newspaper criticized the regional government. That newspaper, Shacab (the public) was finally silenced after the vice-president used unconstitutional powers and ordered it closed.
Media intimidation by people with authority happens regularly in Puntland. Journalists get shot at and sometimes lose their lives in other Somali cities where there’s no local government.