Mogadishu, Somalia 21 October 2021, Somali Journalists Syndicate (SJS) condemns in the strongest terms possible the arrest of its Secretary General Abdalle Ahmed Mumin and Its Secretary of training Hanad Ali Guled by Hirshabelle police on Thursday morning, the latest in a string of violence against the union officials and its members since yesterday.

Uniformed Police raided and arrested both officials at a hotel in Jowhar on Thrusday morning around 10:00am, where they were conducting training on enhancing media freedom and safety of journalists with the generous support from Canadian government through Canadian Fund for Local Initiatives.

Both Mumin and Guled are currently held in an unknown location.

Around 11:37 Thursday morning, armed police again arrested Mohamed Ibrahim Bulbul, Information and Human Rights Secretary while busy conducting the training for 25 journalsts in the town of Jowhar. Its not clear they are taking him.

SJS condemns the arrest and calls for their immediate release.