REF: Press release

Title:  AGROUP CONDEMNS GOVERNMENT CLOSURE TO 

KULMIYE RADIO STATION.

The Somali press freedom alert group, Action Alert group, condemns attack, and the closure Kulmiye Independent News Network, an FM radio in Mogadishu.

Kulmiye Radio station in Mogadishu is shut down the third day after the transitional government forces stormed the radio station, entered its studios and shut it down.

“At the noon in Wednesday, heavily armed forces from the national security agency stormed the station, they brought a letter ordering us to shut down the radio or will face punishment” said the director of the Radio Osman Abdulahi Gure.

“The letter says that it was sent by the transitional government’s chief of security agency in Banadir region, Mogadishu, and as the director and reporters and other employees of Kulmiye Radio, we are very sad that the government is violating our freedom to get information and report it without interfering of third part” he added.

“We are worried about the government’s performance towards the press freedom, we condemn the attack in the toughest language, we urge the government to stop attacks on the press” said Abukar Albadri, the director of AGroup.

“The government is responsible to the protection of the press which is working under the worst situation, there is no justification for such attack” he added.

The radio was shut down after it interviewed some young former fighters who defected from the opposition groups and joined the government.

The former fighters complained the way the national security forces treat them and urged the government to stop its security forces’ harassment towards them.

“we urge all the parts in Somalia, government and oppositions, AMISOM and the regional authority to allow the press to have freedom to work”

AGroup which was established to alert to the journalists working in Somalia is in solidarity with Kulmiye Radio and the rest of the press at this critical time.

By Mohamed Hassan

AGroup press officer