NATIONAL MEDIA
30 July – Source: Halbeeg – 155 Words
The leader of Somaliland administration, Muse Bihi Abdi on Monday pardoned 19 convicted pirates who were serving various jail terms in Somaliland following their repatriation from Seychelles. President Bihi ordered their release in a presidential decree issued by his office. “Considering the president’s power to pardon prisoners as per the constitution, President Bihi pardoned the prisoners, said the statement in part. The pirates were convicted in Seychelles and had spent a period of their jail term in detention centres in Seychelles.
Several occasions in the past, Seychelles sent several convicted pirates to Somaliland and Puntland to allow the prisoners serve their jail terms in their home country. Similarly, the Somali government helped the return of a number of citizens serving jail terms in India jails for piracy-related crimes following an agreement between the two countries last year. In March this year, 120 prisoners who had served a seven-year jail term in prisons in India were repatriated to Somalia.
INTERNATIONAL MEDIA
STATEMENT
29 July – Source: African Union Peace and Security – 155 Words
The Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Moussa Faki Mahamat condemns in the strongest terms the attack perpetrated on 29 July 2019 by Al-Shabaab militants against AMISOM personnel, which led to a number of casualties. The troops were attacked in Bal’ad district, located about 30 kilometers northeast from the capital city of Mogadishu.
“We are united in grief with the families of the fallen soldiers, the people and Government of Burundi for the loss of the brave troops who made the ultimate sacrifice in service of, and support to a fellow African nation in combatting terrorism. We wish the injured a speedy and full recovery,” the Chairperson said.
The Chairperson reaffirmed that the AU remains committed to working with the Government of Somalia to further consolidate peace and security in the country.
The Chairperson further calls on the international community to provide appropriate support to Somalia and AMISOM to consolidate security gains in the country.
30 July – Source: The Star – 202 Words
The national government is set to open a consulate at Hargeisa in Somaliland aimed to increase exports to the autonomous country. Trade CS Peter Munya said Miraa will be the leading export to the country and that the Embassy will help negotiate favourable trade barriers and tariffs. Munya said the government is finalising the relationships has already budgeted for the consulate. Speaking at Laare and Maili Tatu in Igembe North and Igembe Central constituencies, Munya said Miraa is currently a scheduled crop with its own strategy of marketing it.
“Miraa is a scheduled crop like coffee, tea and Macadamia and during the recent Trade Expo week in Nairobi, the crop we discussed at length is Miraa.,” said Munya.
He said miraa exports are also now allowed in Israel. Other markets being sought are Mozambique and Uganda. He urged Meru leaders to come together and heed the fight of protecting and seeking more markets for the crop in the International markets.
He said the government is looking into ways to enable Miraa to be exported using Kenya Airways to destination countries. Munya said plans are underway to expand the Isiolo International Airport runway for ease exporting the crop faster because of its perishability.
30 July – Source: Associated Press – 282 Words
Two Somalia refugees living in Arizona were charged with providing support to a terror group after federal agents say they were planning to travel from Tucson to Egypt to join the Islamic State. A criminal charge unsealed Monday alleged 21-year-old Ahmed Mahad Mohamed and 20-year-old Abdi Yemani Hussein had told an undercover FBI employee that they wanted to travel to the Middle East to carry out violence and “achieve martyrdom.”
Both Tucson residents, who had received government documents to travel to Egypt, were arrested Friday after they checked in for their flights and made their way through security at Tucson International Airport. Mohamed is accused of expressing an interest in beheading people, while authorities say Hussein expressed a desire to kill people in the Middle East. Tom Hartzell, an attorney for Mohamed, didn’t return a call seeking comment on his client’s behalf. Brad Roach, attorney for Hussein, said his client is asserting his innocence and “looking forward to the legal process going forward.”
Authorities say Mohamed told an undercover FBI employee during social-media exchanges that he was “thirsty” for the blood of disbelievers and that “the best wake up call is (for the) Islamic State to get victory or another 911.” During an April meeting with the undercover FBI employee, Mohamed said “jihad is the only thing on his mind and that he wants to make the kuffar (disbelievers) in Egypt cry,” according to the criminal complaint.
During a meeting a month ago between Mohamed, Hussein and the undercover FBI employee, Hussein said he wanted to blow up the White House and that when he arrived in the Sinai peninsula of Egypt, “he needs blood on his hands,” according to the complaint.
30 July – Source: Hivi Sasa- 297 Words
In a bid to streamline its operations and internal administration, Al-Shabaab militants held an emergency meeting on Friday in parts of Bay region in South West Somalia to discuss security and Wilayat Administrations reforms, reports have emerged. Rocked in internal feuds and succession politics, a much neutralised Al-Shabaab has now shifted focus to Somalia, their motherland, with frequent attacks on Kenya reducing. In the last three weeks, the militants have killed over 50 people inside Somalia, with the attack in Kismayo which had 27 people dead being the worst casualty in recent days.
On Friday, four commanders steered the meeting, which also saw other operatives from several administrative units in territories under Al-Shabaab attending. “Al-Shabaab leaders reportedly had a rare meeting on Friday in the vicinity of Bulo Falay in Bay region. Leader Abu Ubaidah, Mahad Karate, Ibrahim Ali Aden, Ja’far Dhere and other officials attended the meeting which was discussed on security and reforming Wilayat, per sources,” VOA journalist Harun Maruf said.
Kenya has beefed up security in borders, closing down Kiunga in Lamu, following attempts by the militants to target Kenyan population. Incidentally, the meeting comes barely a week after Army Commander Lieutenant General Walter Raria, visited Kenyan troops in Somalia. “This was under his routine visits that the commander makes to monitor and motivate troops in the field. As the troops continue to defend the territorial integrity of the Republic of Kenya, such visits accord the commander an opportunity to interact and share experiences with the soldiers at their areas of operation,” read a statement from KDF. Kenya is keen to pull out KDF troops from the war torn nation by 2021, according to African Union plans. By then, they are expecting that Somalia National Army will have a capacity to handle the terrorists.
OPINION, ANALYSIS AND CULTURE
“The judges were clear to declare that all charges brought against journalist Mohamed Said Yusuf were not valid and, therefore, the court quashed all of them. The court also freed the journalist,” defending lawyer Mustafa Mohamed Jama told Somali Journalists Syndicate (SJS).”
29 July – Source: Somali Affairs – 398 Words
Somali Journalists Syndicate (SJS) welcomes the release of freelance journalist Mohamed Said Yusuf from Garowe Central Prison on Monday 29 July, 2019. The journalist was arrested on 13 July, 2019 in Garowe over an interview with a local elder who criticized the Puntland State Government. The local elder, who was also arrested, was freed on Saturday 27 July, 2019. In a brief court session on Monday at the Nugal Regional Court in Garowe, judges quashed all charges against journalist Mohamed Said Yusuf and ordered his release.
Around 01:20pm local time, the journalist was released from the jail. “I thank God that I am free now,” journalist Mohamed Said Yusuf told Somali Journalists Syndicate (SJS) after he was freed from the jail. “I also thank my lawyer for defending me during the court hearing and thanks to the tireless advocacy and support of Somali Journalists Syndicate (SJS).”
Media Legal Defense Initiative (MLDI) covered the legal fees of the defending lawyer, without which the case would not have been successful. According to the defending lawyer, Mustafe Mohamed Jama, the prosecutors sought charges of propagating propaganda against the State and the Nation, insulting the State among other charges, which the judges at the court did not take as legally binding since the journalist acted based on his constitutionally granted freedoms including Freedom of the Press and Freedom of Expression.
“The judges were clear to declare that all charges brought against journalist Mohamed Said Yusuf were not valid and, therefore, the court quashed all of them. The court also freed the journalist,” defending lawyer Mustafa Mohamed Jama told Somali Journalists Syndicate (SJS). Somali Journalists Syndicate (SJS) is grateful to the judges at Nugal Regional Court for understanding and dropping the unjustified charges and freeing our colleague from the jail.
“We are delighted to hear that our colleagues Mohamed Said Yusuf from the jail,” Abdalle Ahmed Mumin, Secretary General of the Somali Journalists Syndicate (SJS) said. “We are also thankful to the lawyer for working hard to defend the journalist and the MLDI for their generous support.” Somali Journalists Syndicate urges the Puntland authorities to respect the press freedom and allow journalists to carry out their duties of informing the public without fear of persecution as enshrined in the Puntland Constitution, the Puntland Media Law and the Federal Constitution, which all guarantee the Freedom of the Press and the Freedom of Expression. |
