Somali journalists detained after radio station raid in Jowhar

Two journalists were arrested when Somali authorities raided and shut down a private radio station on Saturday, the International Federation of Journalists confirmed.

Editor-in-chief of City FM, Abdishakur Abdullahi Ahmed and his deputy Abdirahman Hussein Wadani were detained on Saturday afternoon when security forced stormed into the studio and shut down the radio station in Jowhar.

The pair were allegedly arrested after broadcasting interviews deemed to be critical of authorities.

Just two days before the raid, the journalists interviewed several internally displaced refugees in an attempt to gain insight into the distribution of food aid – in which the IDPs accused the regional administration of misappropriating food aid.

IFJ General Secretary Anthony Bellanger echoed calls for the journalists’ release and the reopening of the radio station.

“ These latest attempts to silence Somali press are an affront to media freedom and democracy in a country that desperately needs it, ” said Bellanger.

A Human Rights Watch report published in May described journalists working in Somalia as “fish in poisonous waters,” suggesting they can be attacked or killed at any time.”