Somaliland YOOL editor sentenced illegally
HARGEISA, Somalia Mar 18 (xaqsoor) - The editor of an independent newspaper YOOL in Somaliland has been sentenced to five months in jail.
Mr. Mohamed Abdi "Urad," editor of the Yool weekly newspaper, was arrested by police on Feb. 27 in Hargeisa, the capital of Somaliland.
In court, Mr. Urad was charged with operating an "illegal newspaper" and "publishing false reports" by the attorney-general, our correspondent reported.
Furthr, the Yool newspaper has been ordered to shut down.
Relatives of Mr. Urad called the sentence unfair and demanded an appeal.
Mr. Urad is well-known in Somaliland journalism circles, as he once served as the editor of the independently-owned Jamhuuriya daily newspaper.
Somaliland's government has tough restrictions against the free press, including a complete ban on independent radio stations.
However, newspapers and Websites operate freely in the breakaway region as source of independent reporting.
Somaliland declared independence from Somalia in 1991 but has not been recognized internationally. The political crisis are hotting up as the presidential election earmarked for 29 March has been unilaterally postponed by the Electoral Commission whose 5 of the 7 men Comittee blindly support the President. Opposition parties call for a cre-taking government when the extended term of the President end on 6Th April 2009. That threat was rejected by the President upon his arrival of Hargeysa yesterday, back from undeclared trip to London, Addis and Jabouti.
Most Somalilanders believe the President is acting like a dictator and many believe he is holding on his authority to fail the state and even boastfully stated as repoted by tribal elders, "Either give me another term or I will let the cat out of the cage. The corner clans with Isaq collaborators can turn this nation upside down." " You need me whatever wrong I did", he addeded. It is that fantasy that drives him to the neverneverland.
Xaqsoor Reportes
Hargeysa
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