Journalists Ahmed Saleyman Dhuhul and Sayid Osman Mire were released on August 9 on paying fines imposed by a court in Hargeisa, in the northwestern breakaway territory of Somaliland, after being held for 28 days.
Dhuhul and Mire, who work for Horyaal Radio and are members of the Somaliland Journalists Association (SOLJA), were arrested on July 13. On August 8, the Hargeisa court sentenced them to six months in prison and a fine of 300,000 Somaliland shillings (about 30 euros).
As jail terms of less than a year are convertible into fines in Somaliland, they obtained their release yesterday by paying 2.5 million Somaliland shillings (260 euros) in fines. Reporters Sans Frontières (RSF) deplored the sentence imposed by the court.
