On 8th October 2017, journalist Mohamed Adan Dirir has been sentenced to one year and six months in jail. A judge at Hargeisa Regional Court heard a criminal case against Dirir without the presence of his lawyer and family members. The judge, Ahmed Dalmar Ismail, pronounced the judgment on the same day.
The lawyer of Dirir was not informed of the hearing date, according to his lawyer, Mubarik Abdi. His family was not also aware of the hearing, family members told Human Rights Centre.
Dirir was arrested on 16th September 2017 in Hargeisa. The prosecution accused him of defamation and publishing false news in relation to articles that allegedly accused Noradin School, a privately owned school based in Hargeisa, of misconduct against the female students of the school.
“We are stunned by the way the court handled the case. Dirir was denied of the basic fair trial rights enshrined in the Constitution of Somaliland and the Criminal Procedure Code. He has a right to attorney and defence according to articles 27 and 28 of the Constitution,” says Guleid Ahmed Jama, the chairperson of Human Rights Centre.
“The speed and secrecy of the hearing are unacceptable and worrying practice. Criminalization of the media is not a solution and is against the Constitution and the Press Law. We call on the government of Somaliland to immediately release Mohamed Adan Dirir,” he added.
Xarunta Xuquuqal Insaanka oo canbaaraysay xukunka suxufi Maxamed Adan Dirir
Maxkamadda Gobolka Hargeysa waxaay 8dii October 2017 ku xukuntay suxufi Maxamed Adan Dirir hal sano iyo lix bilood oo xadhig ah. Garsooraha dacwadda qaaday Axmed Dalmar Ismaaciil wuxuu dhegaystay dacwad ciqaab ah oo ka dhan ah Dirir iyada oo aanu joogin qareenkisii iyo qoyskiisii tooni. Isla maalintii ayuu garsooruhu ku dhawaaqay xukunka.
Qareenka Dirir lama ogaysiin maalinta dacwadda la qaadayo islamarkaana qoyskiisa lama ogaysiin, sida ay noo xaqiijiyeen qareenkiisa Mubaarik Cabdi iyo xubno qoyska Dirir ah.
Maxamed Adan Dirir waxa la xidhay 16kii September 2017. Waxa lagu eedeeyey sumcad dilid iyo faafin war been abuur ah oo la xidhiidha qoraalo la sheegay inay ku eedeeyeen dugsiga gaarka loo leeyahay ee Nuuradiin in falal anshaxa ka baxsan lagula dhaqmo hablaha ardayda ka ah.
Xaruntu waxa aad uga nixiyay sida ay u qaaday Maxkamaddu dacwada. Waxa la waasiiyay Dirir xuquuqdiisa aasaasiga ah ee ah inuu helo dacwad dhegaysi xaq ah sida ku cad Dastuurka iyo Xeerka Habka Ciqaabta. Sida ku cad qodobada 27 iyo 28aad ee Dastuurka wuxuu xaq u lahaa inuu helo qareen iyo inuu is difaaco.
Sida degdegga ah ee qarsoodiga ah ee dacwadda loo qaaday waa dhaqan aan la aqbali karin oo werwer leh. In dacwadaha warbaahinta laga dhigo ciqaab maaha xal, waxaayna ka soo horjeedda dastuurka iyo Xeerka Saxaafadda. Xaruntu waxaay ugu baaqaysaa dawladda Somaliland inay xorriyadiisa u soo celiso Maxamed Adan Dirir.
Guleid Ahmed Jama
Gudoomiyaha Xarunta Xuquuqal Insaanka
Guleid Ahmed Jama
Chairperson of Human Rights Centre, Hargeisa Somaliland
Lawyer at Xaqdoon Law Firm
Mobile: +252 63 4468227 Email: dafac02@hotmail.com
Twitter: @GuleidJ
Website: http://www.hrcsomaliland.org www.xaqdoonlawfirm.com
Blog: http://guleidjama.blogspot.com
Guleid Ahmed Jama
Chairperson of Human Rights Centre
