The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has demanded the immediate release of journalist Mr. Ahmed-saki Ibrahim, who is currently being detained in Hargeisa. The CPJ has expressed deep concern about the state of press freedom in Somaliland. According to a report released by the Committee, the detained journalist’s sibling has stated that he is being held at a prison in Hargeisa, the capital of Somaliland. However, the specific allegations against the journalist have not been officially stated. The report also highlights that there were multiple detentions of journalists and media staff in Somaliland last year, indicating an increase in pressure against the media. Despite the CPJ’s efforts to gather more information from the Somaliland government by sending requests to the Presidential Palace, Ministry of Information, and Police Command, they did not receive any answers after the report was published. The CPJ has called on Somaliland to respect press freedom and allow journalists to carry out their duties without interference. However, despite the new government’s promises to uphold press freedom, they have detained numerous journalists since coming into power, leading to criticism and concern from organizations advocating for press freedom.
