18 Jan 2010 | Index Index, minipost, Uncategorized
Following violent clashes in Nairobi on 16 January that left five dead, Kenyan police have arrested more than 300 people, including 16 Somali MPs. Last week’s demonstration were organized to demand the release of Abdullah Al-Faisal, the Jamaican-born Muslim cleric who served five years in jail in the UK for inciting racial hatred. Al-Faisal has been detained without charge pending deportation, Kenya’s efforts to deport the controversial figure have been hampered by their inability to find an airline willing to carry him.
Internal Security Minister George Saitoti has accused the Somali Islamist group Al-Shabab of being involved in the clashes, Saitoti claimed most of those detained have been picked up on suspicion of being illegal immigrants. Kenyan human rights activist Al-Amin Kimathi, who has been campaigning for Al-Faisal’s release, was arrested on Monday 18 January.
26 Nov 2009 | Index Index, minipost, News and features
Canadian journalist Amanda Lindhout and Australian photographer Nigel Brennan have been released after being held captive by militants for 15 months. Reports state that the pair were freed after a ransom of $1m was paid. The two journalists were held in solitary confinement after being kidnapped on 23 August 2008 and were subject to beatings and torture.
Read more here
3 Nov 2009 | Index Index, minipost, News and features
War photographer and AFP stringer, Mohamed Dahir and Mohamoud Muktar Koofi, a Universal TV cameraman, were arrested and detained for 48 hours on 28 October after they were seen photographing African Union tanks firing at Bakara Market, Mogadishu. The journalists, arrested by Government police, were held at the presidential palace, Villa Somalia. Their cameras were seized and the images erased.
25 Aug 2009 | Index Index, minipost
The National Union of Somali Journalists has expressed its outrage at the continued suppression of media rights in the Gedo region by the Islamist group Al-Shabaab. The NUSJ report detailed how Radio Markabley was ordered to fire two of its journalists for writing “biased reports” and was issued with a seven-point decree by the group. The decree accuses the station of being “too neutral regarding holy war” and instructs them to stop broadcasting any secular songs or use any musical programs, interviews, advertisements or news content. Read more here
