Eight journalists who protested about the closure of a a TV station in Somaliland were arrested. And then 13 more journalists who went to their aid were also arrested.
They were already alarmed by the arrests of a further four journalists the previous week.
The 21 arrested after demonstrating outside the presidential palace in the breakaway state's capital Hargeisa about the authorities' closure of the television station, HornCable TV, were released within 24 hours.
The station was closed on 14 January after the president, Ahmed Mohamed Siilaanyon, had described it as a "nation destructor" for broadcasting anti-government propaganda.
Its owner was summoned to the president's office for questioning.
There is continuing concern about a further four journalists arrested the previous week.
Ali Ismail Aare, a reporter for the weekly Waheen, was arrested on 11 January for taking photos of a service station and a building belonging to Somaliland's vice-president.
Mohamed Omar Sheikh, a reporter for the weekly Saxafi, was arrested the same day for writing articles deemed likely to create conflict in the Awdal region.
Abdqani Hassan Farah, a Universal TV reporter, was arrested on 9 January on a charge of "exaggerating reports of a meeting that created instability in the Sool, Sanag and Eyn regions."
Yusuf Abdi Ali, a reporter for the London-based Royal TV, was arrested on 8 January after being accused of making false allegations about corruption and management problems in local development projects.
Source: Reporters Without Borders
