The National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ) is relieved about the release of Mohamud Mohamed Dahir (Arab), director of SkyFM of Shabelle Media Network from prison after his colleagues paid the fine of US$2,000 that Banadir regional court imposed on him yesterday. Dahir spent 199 days in prison, starting from 15 August 2014. Journalist Mohamed Abdi Ali of Radio Risaala, who was also found guilty of charges leveled by attorney general office and sentenced to imprisonment of period he has been detained and ordered to pay fine of $500, was also released today.
 
At a hearing at Banadir Regional Court in Mogadishu yesterday, Mohamud Mohamed Dahir (Arab) was convicted of accusations levelled against him the government and was sentenced to imprisonment of period that he has been detained and ordered to pay US$2,000 fine. 
 
In this same hearing, Abdimaalik Yusuf Mohamud, chairman of Shabelle Media Network, was not found guilty but Shabelle Media Network was ordered to pay US$10,000 as a fine; Ahmed Abdi Hassan, deputy editor of Radio Shabelle, was convicted and sentenced to imprisonment of period (15 August – 21 October) that he was detained and ordered to pay US$500 fine;
 
Shabelle Media Network paid today US$10,000 fine as well as the fine imposed on Hassan ($500) and Dahir ($2000) by the court at around 15:30 yesterday. Colleagues, friends and supporters of Shabelle mobilised to make the payment in order to stop Mohamud and Hassan going back to jail and Dahir to be detained.
 
"The fines levied against the three journalists and Shabelle Media Network have all along been a transparent ploy to shut up independent media and critical journalists,” said Omar Faruk Osman, NUSOJ Secretary General. "Now independent journalists are forced to censor themselves to avoid punitive and unfair actions from authorities”.
 
NUSOJ reiterates its call for the release of Mohamed Bashir Hashi, Editor of Radio Shabelle whose court decision was yesterday postponed. "Mohamed Bashir Hashi does not deserve to spend a moment in prison and it is bogus to accuse him of terrorism,” declared Osman.