Court in Sanaag region sentences journalist to 21 months in prison

Erigavo (Somaliland.com) – Sanaag regional court in Erigavo today sentenced a journalist to one year and nine months in jail. The reporter is ordered to pay three hundred U.S dollars in fine.

Abdirahman Hiddig found guilty in charges brought against him by the deputy chairman of the national printing press.

Somaliland’s Journalists Association SOLJA condemned the court ruling. In a statement published on their website, SOLJA said the sentence was unacceptable. The journalists association criticized lack of fair trial in the case, lack of formal charge sheet and defense lawyers.

SOLJA alleged that the court reached its decision in one session with the journalist’s lawyers absent from the proceedings.

This comes barely days after Maroodijeh Regional court in Hargeisa Somaliland sentenced the editor of a local television station a year in jail and three million Somaliland shillings in fine.