The head of one of Somalia’s union of journalists has appeared in court for a third time in an ongoing trial on charges of incitement, after criticising a government ban on media reporting of the activities of the extremist group al-Shaabab.
Abdalle Mumin was arrested in October after saying that the directive could be used to target government critics.
Somalia launched a large-scale offensive last year against the militant group and appears to be having the upper hand.
Lawyers representing the journalist asked the court to summon high-ranking government officials linked to his arrest last October.
Mr Mumin, who is the secretary-general of the Somali Journalists Syndicate, is facing incitement charges for criticising a government ban on reports about al-Shabab.
The case was adjourned to an unspecified date next week.
Since issuing the directive, Somali authorities have shut down hundreds of outlets affiliated with al-Shabab and ordered the media to refer to the group as “khawarij”, meaning ultra-extremists.
Mr Mumin’s court case has underscored continued risks journalists in Somalia face while reporting on the al-Shabab insurgency or agitating for press freedoms.
Source: BBC