VZCZCXRO9619
OO RUEHDE RUEHROV RUEHTRO
DE RUEHNR #1697 2231346
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 111346Z AUG 09
FM AMEMBASSY NAIROBI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0629
INFO RUCNSOM/SOMALIA COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
RUEKDIA/DIA WASHDC
RHMFIUU/CJTF HOA
RUZEFAA/CDR USAFRICOM STUTTGART GE
RUZEFAA/HQ USAFRICOM STUTTGART GE
RHMCSUU/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL

UNCLAS NAIROBI 001697 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
DEPT FOR AF/E AND A/S CARSON 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL KDEM KPAO SO
SUBJECT: SOMALIA - Horyaal Journalists Released 
 
REF: NAIROBI 1539 
 
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Summary 
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¶1. (SBU) The two reporters from Somaliland's independent Radio 
Horyaal who were arrested on July 13 were sentenced and then 
released on August 9 after paying fines and then paying additional 
money in lieu of serving time in prison.  Another journalist was 
arrested on August 4 and remains in custody.  End Summary. 
 
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Horyaal Journalists 
Released 
------------------- 
 
¶2. (SBU) Radio Horyaal Director Mohamed Osman Mire and news editor 
Ahmed Saleban Dhuhul, arrested on July 13 (reftel), were sentenced, 
fined, and released on August 9.  The two journalists were released 
after paying a fine of 300,000 Somaliland shillings (approximately 
$45) each.  In addition, each was sentenced to six months in prison. 
 However, Somaliland law allows defendants to "buy their freedom" if 
their sentence is less than one year.  As such, each journalist paid 
2.5 million Somaliland shillings (approximately $375) to secure his 
freedom.   A Hargeisa court had found them guilty on August 6 of 
operating unlicensed radio station without permission.  However, the 
journalists were cleared of a second count of "airing inflammatory 
reports which led to clan conflict killings." 
 
¶3. (SBU) Media advocacy organizations, including the National Union 
of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ) and the International Press Institute, 
have issued statements condemning the guilty verdicts against Mire 
and Dhuhul.  Post remains engaged with Somaliland authorities and 
media outlets in efforts to advocate for free media in Somaliland. 
 
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New Arrest 
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¶4. (SBU) In the meantime and adding to the unfortunate litany of 
threats to press freedom in Somaliland, Fowsi Saleeban, a reporter 
for the Somaliland.org website was arrested on August 4 in Burao 
after reporting on corruption cases involving local officials. 
Saleeban, reportedly arrested on the order of Burao governor, Jama 
Abdillahi Biin, was still in police custody and had not been yet in 
court. 
 
RANNEBERGER