Press Freedom Advocate and Secretary General of the Somali Journalist Syndicate Abdalle Mumin Continues to be Detained for Press Freedom Work: United Nations Updated on Developments in Worrying Case

JUSTICE ABROAD

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International law barrister and Director of Justice Abroad, Michael Polak, is part of the legal team supporting the Secretary General of Somali Journalists Syndicate Abdalle Mumin who is being targeted by the Somalian Government for his press freedom work in Somalia.

The targeted prosecution of Mr Mumin arose after the Somalian media fraternity held a press conference at the SJS Headquarters in Mogadishu on 10 October 2022, where they expressed their concern about a new government directive that banned what was termed ‘Spreading Al-Shabab propaganda’. The media advocacy groups expressed concerns that they were not consulted in the drafting of these provisions and that the directive would be used to restrict legitimate freedom of expression and press freedom in the country. Somalian journalists have a long history of facing repression and attacks from both government and non-government actors.

On 11 October 2022, Mr Mumin was arrested at Mogadishu airport for leading this press conference and detained illegally at an unknown location. Michael Polak made submissions to the United Nation’s Group on Arbitrary Detention, that his detention was unlawful.  Mr Mumin reported that he was held at a notorious underground detention centre run by Somalia’s national intelligence agency (NISA) for two days before he was transferred to another detention facility run by the Somali police in Mogadishu’s KM4 area for 6 days before the Banadir Regional Court gave him bail on 16 October 2022 only for him to be re-arrested on 18 October 2022. Mr. Mumin was again granted bail on 22 October 2022 but was still under travel restrictions and limitations on his freedom of expression.

The prosecution, in this case, comes after on 15 November 2022 representatives from the Ministry of Information, who were acting on behalf of the Deputy Minister of Information attended the SJS offices and demanded that Mr Mumin cease all media freedom advocacy and sign a written document to confirm that he would do so. The request was also that the SJS and other Somalian free press advocacy groups retract their previous statement which raised concerns about the actions of the Ministry of Information and that the media advocates should publish an apology letter to the Ministry of Information and the Deputy Minister.

On 13 February 2023, Mr Mumin was convicted and sentenced to 2 months in custody. However, the prison refused to receive him as he had already served that sentence in custody awaiting trial.  Since then, the Government applied undue pressure on the prison and Mr Mumin has been held there illegally and was not released last Thursday 16 March 2023, a date which had been given by the authorities for his release.

Michael Polak has made further submissions to update the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention about Mr Mumin’s case to build on the submissions he made late last year.

Michael Polak has stated the following about Mr Mumin’s arbitrary detention:

‘It is clear that the Somalian authorities are trying to use Mr Mumin as an example to warn others not to speak out against government policies even when those policies are potentially damaging to the country.

Mr Mumin’s detention is unlawful as he is being detained because of asserting his right to freedom of expression and has not committed any act which can properly be described as a criminal offence. We call on the Somalian Government and their international partners to act immediately to free Mr Mumin. It is bad enough that the exceptionally brave media freedom advocates and journalists in Somalia face immense danger from non-state actors without the Somalian authorities joining in on the repression.

Notes to Editors

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