New York, February 14, 2007 – The National Union of Somali Journalists is deeply concerned the situation of detained Haatuf journalists following the resignation of a member of the two lawyers of the imprisoned media people, who are behind the bars in the 6 th week. The three personnel of the Haatuf Media Network, Yusuf Abdi Gabobe (Managing Editor), Ali Abdi Dini (Editor in chief) and Mohammed Omar (Borama reporter) were transferred to Mandhera detention centre, near port town of Barbara. Another Haatuf journalist is also charged in absentia.

Reliable sources in Somaliland stated that lawyer Mohammed Said Hersi resigned on Saturday, 10 th February, after he saw that the Hargeisa regional court is speeding up the ruling of the case on the basis of the 1962 Penal Code instead of Somaliland's media law. The second lawyer Mohammed Ali Abdi is in detention after the Hargeisa district court received charge against him from one of the deputies of Regional Appeals Court of Hargeisa.

Mr. Faisal Ismail Abdillahi, the presiding judge of the journalists' case from Hargeisa regional court, the Deputy Attorney General of Somaliland Mr. Said Mohammed Obsiye and CID officers went to Mandhera detention centre on Saturday to make the ruling in the prison without the knowledge of the relatives of defendants and Solicitor Mohammed Said who resigned after learning this move. The verdict did not happen in this day due to their arrival at the Mandhere jail. The Hargeisa regional court stated that they have permission from the Somaliland Supreme Court to make the verdict in the detention centre.

"We feel that the case is entirely politicised and Haatuf journalists will not get fair trial" declared by the Secretary General of the National Union of Somali Journalists Omar Faruk Osman. "When there are no lawyers and independent witness, including relatives of the defendants, and the media law is not respected, it is a clear signal that the journalists will receive undue judgment" he added. "We ask the Somaliland's top officials, including President Dahir Rayale & officials in the Judicial Branch, to stop political interventions in this case and abide rule of law".

The four Haatuf journalists were accused of defaming the Somaliland's first lady and obstruction of police operations. The victim of the case, which has reference number MGH/DDL/23/07, is the family of President Rayale's family.

Source: NUSOJ