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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 NAIROBI 000662 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR AF/E AND ACTING A/S CARTER 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL KDEM EAID PHUM KPAO SO
SUBJECT: SOMALIA - TOUGH MONTH FOR JOURNALISTS 
 
REF: NAIROBI 645 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary:  Somali journalists encounted more problems 
in the second half of March, with new arrests in Somaliland 
and Puntland.  The Puntland arrest has resulted in a long 
jail sentence. Embassy has registered its concern in the 
Puntland case with recently-elected President Faroole. End 
summary. 
 
------------------------- 
A Release, but No Clarity 
 on the Initial Arrest 
------------------------- 
 
¶2. (SBU) On March 20, Yool newspaper editor Mohamed Abdi 
Guled, also known as Urad, was released nearly a month after 
his February 26 arrest in Somaliland.  Guled had been 
sentenced on March 17 to five months in prison on charges of 
operating an unregistered newspaper and publishing fabricated 
information.  However, local colleagues speculated that he 
had actually been arrested for publishing reports, presumably 
embarrassing to the government, of alleged plots to murder 
parliamentarians, opposition leaders and traditional elders. 
Reporters Without Borders reported that Guled's supporters 
paid a "bail" of 1 million Somaliland shillings (530 Euros) 
to secure his release (Note: we are working to clarify if 
this "bail" is a fine and closes the case, or if the money is 
in fact a bail payment and Guled faces more court 
proceedings.) 
 
--------------------------------- 
Arrest and Sentencing in Puntland 
--------------------------------- 
 
¶3. (SBU) Jama Ayanle Feyte, a freelance reporter associated 
with the Somali websites laasqorey.net and daynille.com, was 
arrested on March 26 in Bossaso, Puntland, for allegedly 
publishing false information.  International and Somail 
journalist organizations including Reporters Without Borders, 
the Somalia Coalition for Freedom of Expression (SOCFEX), and 
the National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ) have stated 
that Abdullahi Jama Ilkajir, who ran for and lost the race 
for President of Puntland and was appointed Minister of 
Interior in January 2009, was behind the charges and that he 
had appeared in court to testify against Feyte.  The 
organizations speculated that the charges stemmed from 
Feyte's writings about regional authorities.  One contact in 
Bossaso told us that Feyte's arrest is rumored to have 
stemmed from Feyte's publishing an article alleging that 
Puntland President Faroole was planning to set up government 
TV and radio stations, and then appoint his own son to run 
them.  The contact speculated that Ilkajir charged Feyte on 
behalf of Faroole.  On March 31, Feyte was sentenced to two 
years in prison after a trial in which Feyte was reportedly 
not allowed legal representation.  One source told us that 
another journalist, Abdiqani Hassan Dagjar, who was arrested 
with Feyte, was released for lack of evidence in his case. 
 
¶4. (SBU) In an April 3 telephone conversation, Somalia Unit 
Counselor raised the Feyte case with President Farole, who 
insisted that Feyte was guilty of "misinformation," and 
disseminating information that jeopardized the "peace and 
stability" of Puntland. We told Farole that, based on the 
information we had, the charges and sentence seemed 
unwarranted.  We urged that the case be re-examined, and 
promised that it would be discussed during the President's 
planned, April 14 visit to Nairobi. 
 
-------------------- 
Arrest in Somaliland 
-------------------- 
 
¶5. (SBU) Ahmed Suleiman Dhuhul, a producer for Horyaal Radio 
and member of the executive committee of the Somaliland 
Journalists Association (SOLJA), was arrested after he 
appeared at a meeting of Somaliland's Guurti (House of 
Elders) at which they debated the extension of the terms of 
Somaliland's President and Vice President (reftel).  Both 
SOLJA and SOCFEX have alleged that Somaliland police beat 
Dhuhul at the scene of his arrest, and his injuries remain 
untreated.  A SOCFEX press release alleged that Somaliland 
Police Commissioner Mohamed Dubad Saqadhi was present when 
 
NAIROBI 00000662  002 OF 002 
 
 
Dhuhul was beaten.  Dhuhul remains in detention in Hargeisa. 
 
----------------------- 
Press Freedom in 
Somaliland and Puntland 
----------------------- 
 
¶6. (SBU) Threats against journalists in Somalia have been 
widely documented and Post has reported on major incidents in 
the past.  However, the concerns reported here mark a turn 
for the worse in the treatment of journalists, especially in 
Puntland.  The Feyte verdict is a bad beginning for press 
freedom on the watch of recently-elected Puntland President 
Farole. 
RANNEBERGER