Somalia government denies Journalist Abdalla Muumin was arrested for work related charges

The Ministry of information for Somalia has issued a statement addressing the arrest of Journalist Abdallah Muumin in Mogadishu and confirmed he is now in the hands of the police to face security related charges.

The Ministry of Information pointed out that information from the National Prosecution Office said Abdalle Muumin was being held on security-related charges and not for his work as a journalist,however, the ministry did not specify the security charges pressed on him.

The ministry further said it had requested the prosecution to urgently provide evidence as to why the journalist was being detained and process his case through the country’s legal procedures as soon as possible.

His arrest came a day after a consortium of media rights organizations, including the Somali Journalist Syndicate (SJS), signed a joint statement voicing their concern over a government’s directive warning media not to cover what it deems Al-Shabaab propaganda.

Media rights groups have called on authorities in Somalia to release Abdalle Ahmed Mumin, the Secretary General of the Somali Journalists Syndicate (SJS), who was arrested in Mogadishu on Tuesday afternoon.