A martial court in Somalia has today reached a verdict on a case pertaining to a local Journalist Mohammed Abduwahab Noor Abuja.
The local Radio Journalist is said to have been in detention for several months for charges of being a member of the Somali based Al-Shabaab Extremist group.
The Martial court judge Hassan Noor Ali Shute found the local Journalist not guilty of the charges and ordered his immediate release from custody.
Somali media rights group were in the court room in solidarity with the detained Journalist and termed his detention unlawful and in contravention with the law.
The Somali Media Association (SOMA) and the Somali Journalist Syndicate (SJS) came in defense of the Mogadishu based Radio Journalist and termed his release a reprieve for the Somali media fraternity.
Somali Journalist Syndicate Secretary Abdalla Mumin said the media in Somalia is happy to hear the decision of the martial court today in the Journalist’s case and said justice was finally served for Mohammed Noor Abuja adding that he was innocent of the charges levelled against him.
Abdalla Mumin called on the Somali Journalist not to be cowed by threats and work as agents of enlightenment and truth as they dispense their duties as members of the fourth estate.
“Its finally a reprieve for us all of us as Journalist, we always work to bring information and enlightenment for the people but when our rights as Journalists faces threat we are not supposed to be afraid and forge ahead with zeal”, Said Abdalla Mumin.
Mohammed Abduwahab Noor Abuja is an editor at Hiigsi Radio stationed in Somalia’s Capital Mogadishu and was arrested and subsequently detained after it was alleged that he is a member of the Terror group Al-Shabaab.
BY OSMAN HUSSEIN ALI
