Fears disappeared Somali journalist tortured following anti-inflation protest coverage

There are concerns over Kilwe’s safety (pic credit: SJS)

Fears over the safety of a Somali freelance journalist have been raised following reports he has been tortured in a detention facility in Garowe, Puntland. 

Journalist and dad-of-two Kilwe Adan Farah was detained in Garowe by officers from the Puntland Intelligence Agency (PISA) on December 27, the day after widespread protests gripped the state capital. 

The journalist, who is co-founder of Kilwe Media Inc, was then held at an undisclosed PISA detention facility without being able to contact his family or lawyers for 16 days before being moved to Garowe central prison. 

It was there that Mr Farah was charged with attempted murder – a capital offence - by the Puntland Military Court. 

According to the Somali Journalists Syndicate (SJS), Mr Farah did not have legal representation while being charged. 

Mr Farah’s family was reportedly not shown the charge sheet and were, instead, read them by a military court official. 

While the journalist was charged with attempted murder, authorities did not say who the alleged murder victim was. 

Free press campaigners also fear that Mr Farah may have been tortured following his arrest.

The SJS believes the charges against Mr Farah are politically motivated and were sparked due to his coverage of the anti-inflation protests in Garowe on December 26. It is understood that Mr Farah’s videos of the protest as the only journalist covering them were spread widely online drawing the attention of the authorities and resulting in his unlawful disappearance and current predicament.

Thousands of protestors took to the streets near Puntland president Said Abdullah Deni’s compound over soaring inflation rates before officers detained Mr Farah and others. In a joint statement Abdalle Ahmed Mumin, the Secretary General of SJS and Michael Polak, of ‘Church Court Chambers and Justice Abroad’ who are representing Mr Farah said: “We are extremely concerned by the seemingly contrived and politically motivated charges against the journalist Kilwe Adan Farah by Puntland State authorities.

“It appears that these charges and this prosecution brought after his unlawful detention and following reports of torture, is directly linked to his work as a journalist and his mission to inform the Somalian people of what was taking place in Garowe. “We call on the Puntland authorities to immediately and unconditionally release Kilwe, allow him to reunite with his wife and two daughters, and allow him to continue his journalistic work without any further intimidation or harassment.

“The Puntland Authorities must also thoroughly investigate the reports of torture against Kilwe and bring those responsible before the courts.

“It is of the utmost importance that journalists throughout Somalia are not subject to enforced disappearances and trumped-up charges so that the Somalian people and the international community can know what is happening in the country.”

Horn Cable TV reporter, Farah Mohamed Khalif was also detained by police on December 27 but was freed without charges two days later.