Somaliland Press Reporter Beaten, Detained by Police in Hargeisa

Somaliland Press Reporter Beaten, Detained by Police in Hargeisa
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Somaliland Press Reporter Beaten, Detained by Police in Hargeisa
HARGEISA, Somaliland (Somaliland Globe)- Somaliland Press online reporter in Hargeisa was punched, kicked and struck with wooden stick by police who detained him on Saturday to stop him from taking pictures of the running street battles between the police and protesters fuming over the closure of parliament by president Rayale.
Abdiqani Baynah, photo journalist, was released from police custody after about 31/2 hours. His camera was confiscated. He has managed however to remove the memory stick from the camera before he was bundled into the back of a police pick-up vehicle. The graphic images including the dead body of a young boy with blood splattered head were posted on the net.
?They told me I was taking pictures in a place that I was not allowed to be taking pictures. I consider it [protest demonstration] to be newsworthy and I began taking pictures of the clashes between the two sides,? said Baynah after his release.
Baynah was taken to the CID centre where he was held for few hours before being released. He was working alongside with his colleague Ibrahim Abdirahman Qasim of Warya TV whose camera was seized by the police less than two weeks ago when the police approached them. Baynah was immediately arrested and Qasim narrowly escaped capture after he fled and mingled among a crowd of protesters.
The situation in Somaliland is becoming very dangerous for journalists who are performing their duties in hazardous environment by facing daily task of avoiding arrests, physical attacks and constant intimidation.
Journalists covering clashes between police and demonstrators often lack basic protection gear such as helmets, bullet-proof vests etc.