Puntland information minister threatens to ‘use bullets’ against journalists

Information minister for Somalia’s Semi-autonomous regional state of Puntland Mohamud Hassan So’adde has issued a statement threatening the journalists with “bullets on Thursday barely a day after he issued a statement warning local journalist against reporting “terrorist elements” in Puntland.

The Information Ministry issued a directive banning journalists from interviewing figures with links to pirates and terrorists after Local Media interviewed former Bari governor, Abdisamad Mohamed Gallan, who is allegedly leading an armed struggle against the administration of Puntland.

“We will not look at the law. We will use bullets and beating. Even if the international community comes, even if those dogs I left yesterday like the UK and the US [sic], they will not protect you. So don’t lose your [Journalist] hands and legs.” said Minister Socade.

The move of the ministry came after the former governor, Abdisamad Mohamed Gallan, has threatened to topple the administration of President Abdiweli in order to create what he terms “an equal social justice”.

Puntland journalists and media groups, including National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ), have condemned the Minister’s threat which is  the latest in a string of violence against the media and its professionals in Somalia.

Somalia is considered the most dangerous country on the African continent for journalists. In 2012, the Committee to Project Journalists (CPJ) reported that 12 journalists were killed in Somalia, the second-highest in the world after Syria, with most of the killings occurring in Mogadishu.