Sidoo kale waxaay warbixintu sheegtay in Maxamed Kayse Maxamuud lagu xukumay qoraal uu Facebook ga dhigay oo uu ku sheegay madaxwaynaha local.

 Amnesty International waxaay sheegtay inaay ka walaacsan tahay in Boqor Cismaan Buurmadow iyo Maxamed Kayse Maxamuud lagu xukumay aragtidooda oo ay dhiibteen darteed.

Ugu danbaytnii waxaay ka codsatay Somaliland inay xorriyadooda u soo celiso.

Waxa halkan ku lifaaqan warbixintii ay soo saartay Amnesty oo dhamaystiran.

UA: 92/18 Index: AFR 52/8386/2018 Somaliland Date: 16 May 2018 URGENT ACTION MEN CONVICTED FOR EXERCISING FREEDOM OF SPEECH Mohamed Kayse Mohamoud and Boqor Osman aw Muhamed Mohamed have been convicted for publicly exercising their rights to the freedom of expression. On 26 April, a Hargeisa judge sentenced Boqor Osman aw Muhamed Mohamed, a traditional figure commonly known as Burmadow, to five years in prison for “bringing the state into contempt” and “spreading false news.” While Muhamed was attending the inauguration of an elder in the Puntland region of Somalia, he called for Puntland and Somaliland to withdraw their troops from the Sool region. According to the judge, his statement “weakened the existence of the sovereignty of Somaliland and denounced the national army”. The judge in Muhamed’s case, Ahmed Dalmar Ismail, denied him access to his lawyer or time to prepare his defence even though he repeatedly asked for both. Instead on the day of the trial, the judge only heard the prosecution’s case and immediately sentenced Muhamed on the same day. On 7 February, Mohamed Kayse Mohamoud, an author, was arrested and detained for referring to Somaliland President Muse Bihi Abdi, as a “local” in his Facebook post, On 16 April, he was charged and found guilty of offending the honor of the president as “the president is a national president”. He was sentenced to 18 months in prison. Amnesty International is concerned that Mohamed Kayse Mohamoud and Boqor Osman aw Muhamed Mohamed have been convicted solely for exercising their right to freedom of expression. Please write immediately in Somali or your own language:  Calling on the Somaliland authorities to immediately and unconditionally release Mohamed Kayse Mohamoud and Boqor Osman aw Muhamed Mohamed, as they have been convicted solely for exercising their right to freedom of expression;  Calling on them to ensure that, pending their release, the two men are granted access to both their lawyers and families; and  Calling on them to amend broad provisions in their penal code, which allows for the harassment of those who express public critiques of the Somaliland government. PLEASE SEND APPEALS BEFORE 27 JUNE 2018 TO: Somaliland Chief Justice Adam Haji Hargeisa, Somaliland Email: aadamhaji@gmail.com Somaliland Attorney General Hassan Ahmed Adan Hargeisa, Somaliland Email: hassmo12@yahoo.com And copies to: President of Somaliland Muse Bihi Office of the President Hargeisa, Somaliland Also send copies to diplomatic representatives accredited to your country. Please insert local diplomatic addresses below: Name Address 1 Address 2 Address 3 Fax Fax number Email Email address Salutation Salutation Please check with your section office if sending appeals after the above date.