Hiiraan Online
Wednesday May 4, 2016
HARGEISA (HOL) – Police in the northern Somalia republic of Somaliland arrested a local religious leader in the capital Hargeisa on suspicion of inciting violence in the peaceful enclave which had enjoyed stability during Somalia’s decades-old conflict, official said on Tuesday.
Feysal His, Somaliland’s police spokesman told reporters that Sheikh Aden Sunna, a well-known religious leader was arrested in a case in which he used his religious sermons to incite violence
“He was was engaged in acts that aimed to promote violence andd threaten the peace in Somaliland.” He said,.
The fiery cleric was subsequently arrested and released by police in recent years.
However, critics often accuse northern Somalia government of employing tactics including arrests and censorship to silence political dissents and journalists in the region which is a major bulwark against Islamist militants operating in horn of Africa.
Somaliland which employs its own government and army has declared a unilateral independence from the rest of Somalia in 1991; however, no country has so far recognized it as an independent state.