Somali press union boss held on ‘security charges’

According to Somalia's communications ministry, Abdalle Ahmed Mumin, the president of the nation's journalist union, is "being imprisoned on security-related charges."

After openly criticizing new government limits on the reporting of the terrorist Islamist group al-Shabab, Mr. Muumin was detained on Tuesday.

Media freedom advocates and journalist unions criticized the regulation as being too limiting.

The ministry claimed in a statement that the journalist's arrest had nothing to do with his line of work, although it made no mention of the specific allegations relating to security.

It also stated that the ministry was awaiting more details regarding any potential charges against him.

Because of the government's and terrorist organizations' threats against journalists, Somalia frequently receives low rankings in studies of press freedom.