It may seem impossible, but one of these men -responsible for torture, imprisonment, degradation and the destruction of media houses -might literally be living next door in Finland.

One of the agents of Somali government Mohamed Ibrahim Isak who was unashamed used by the Somalia’s intelligence services and government’s propaganda machinery – Ministry of Information – against Somalia’s embattled media community is now claiming asylum in Finland.  Isak has been posing as a journalists’ representative under the approval of the government and against will of journalists.

Isak became in year 2012 a propaganda machine for Ministry of Information with task of listening independent media houses and reporting "the negative news” independent media houses to the Ministry who would summon and threaten FM stations in Mogadishu. He is known to be having a one room office inside the Ministry. In 2013 Isak was one of 6 journalists hired as agents and informants for security and intelligence services – aka NISA – pursuing journalists both foreign media and local media who report on "unsavory” stories.  

Isak principally partook in the raid and closure of Radio Shabelle and subsequent arrests of Shabelle journalists who were subjected to beatings and electric shocks by NISA’s merciless investigators with presence of Isak who would assist investigators if blindfolded & dehumanized journalist is telling truth.

Ill-treated journalists remember of being arrested instantly after meeting with Mohamed Ibrahim Isak in cafeterias because Isak was guiding ununiformed secret agents who picked journalists to interrogations. Some reporters affirmed to other fellow journalists for receiving threats after meeting with Isak whom they believed to have secretly taped their conversations with him.

Several journalists fled for their life from Mogadishu due to fear of continued persecution caused by Mohamed Ibrahim Isak. Some of these ill-treated journalists are in Belgium and Netherlands and are talking loudly and publicly about persecution effected by Isak.

Isak whose local eke-name is Bakistan stands strongly blamed for being instigator of murder of Abdullahi Ali Hussein – English editor of Waagacusub news website.

Such culprit of these serious human rights crimes is now claiming asylum in Finland when he was badly exposed and government deserted him. He is hoping to win the right to stay in Finland by claiming returning him to Somalia would breach his rights to asylum.

In June this year Switzerland Embassy in Nairobi rejected visa application presented by Isak after the Embassy found out he is deceitfully seeking to obtain visa in the name of Somali trade unions. Swiss authorities were in receipt of objection filed by ITUC and Somali trade unions federation FESTU against Isak’s impersonation as trade union representative in an ILO meeting.  

Having understood he was utterly exposed Isak selected to go to Finland with an intention to seek asylum because he can no longer feel safe in Mogadishu since he may be pursued for crimes he committed against journalists and government has no appetite to use him anymore thus making him someone without government protection.

Juha Rekola from Finnish NGO Vikes facilitated visa request for Isak at Finland embassy in Nairobi. Rekola who similarly facilitated visas for scandalous government mouthpieces to visit Helsinki, is known in Somalia for conspiring with villainous government officials to subvert independent media movement.

Persecuted journalists and their families are now working to pursue lawsuit against Mohamed Ibrahim Isak for human rights crimes he committed in Mogadishu. 

SOURCE: Barbaariye.com