Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has condemned the decision of the Puntland authorities to deport journalist Jamal Osman and another producer, who are from Channel 4 international television.
The RSF organization said that the two journalists went to Puntland to report on the problems in the Red Sea where pirates are taking ships hostage.
“Do the Somali authorities have a grudge against Jamal Osman, the African reporter of Channel 4?” This is the second time that this journalist of Somali origin has been deported from Somalia in the last 14 months,” said a statement from RSF.
Jamal Osman and the Channel 4 TV producer were arrested when they landed at Garowe airport on February 18, and were sent back to England the next morning, even though they had a letter dated February 15, which the minister Information from Puntland allowed them to come to Puntland.
Journalist Jamaal Osman said shortly after his arrest that he was taken to a hotel controlled by the Puntland intelligence agency PISA, and he was also taken to the PISA office where he was questioned for about three hours.
He said that the Minister of Information, Mohamud Eyid Dirir, tried to calm the situation. But the second time he spoke to him on the phone, he told him that the order to arrest him came from the top authorities of Puntland.
