Wednesday November 27, 2019
HARGEISA (HOL) - Authorities in in Somaliland released Waddani Party officials Tuesday evening following the intervention of a committee of elders which mediated their release.
The Spokesman, Barkhad Jamaa and Secretary General Khadar Hussein regained their freedom after a one-week detention.The chairman of the committee of elders mediating the talks Mohamed Ahmed Farah said Tuesday they had engaged president Muse Bihi and that he had accepted that the two be released.
The officials were arrested last week following announcement by Waddani that it would start street demonstrations to protest what it termed as illegal composition of the National Electoral Commission.
The UN and other international partners in Somalia Wednesday expressed concerns over what it termed as arbitrary arrest of opposition figures.
“We are concerned that events have significantly undermined these commitments to the detriment of Somaliland’s democratic credentials and international standing.
Likewise, we are deeply concerned by instances of seemingly arbitrary detentions and by increased restrictions on freedom of expression,” the joint statement read in part.