HARGEISA, Somalia Mar 18 (Gargaar) - The editor of an independent newspaper YOOL in Somaliland has been sentenced to five months in jail.
Mr. Mohamed Abdi "Urad," editor of the Yool weekly newspaper, was arrested by police on Feb. 27 in Hargeisa, the capital of Somaliland.
In court, Mr. Urad was charged with operating an "illegal newspaper" and "publishing false reports" by the attorney-general, our correspondent reported.
Furthr, the Yool newspaper has been ordered to shut down.
Relatives of Mr. Urad called the sentence unfair and demanded an appeal.
Mr. Urad is well-known in Somaliland journalism circles, as he once served as the editor of the independently-owned Jamhuuriya daily newspaper.
Somaliland's government has tough restrictions against the free press, including a complete ban on independent radio stations.
However, newspapers and Websites operate freely in the breakaway region as source of independent reporting. But they face imprisonment and harassment whence they touch the Presidency and its immediate entourage. There is a sense of unequals among equals. The entire government Media is focused on criticing falsely and otherwise the opposition even crying tribal and clan names to divide the nation, following the old colonial rule; Divide and rule.
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