Somaliland Presidential guard Hits Haatuf Reporter on the Face at Hargeysa Airport

MOGADISHU, Somalia, November 30, 2011/African Press Organization (APO)/ -- The National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ) condemns the continued harassment against the journalists in Somaliland, after one of the Somaliland's presidential guards slapped a reporter for the independent newspaper, Haatuf, on the face on Monday morning around 11:00am local time, amid celebrations to welcome President Siilaanyo' return was underway at the Hargeysa airport.

Journalist Naasir Adan Nawaa, a repoter for an independent Newspaper paper, Haatuf, based in Hargeysa, was trying the cover the event, when one of the presidential guards attacked and slapped him on the face, singling out among dozen journalists at the airport, according to local journalists.

"I don't know why this policeman attacked me in the midst of the dozen journalists," Naasir Adan Nawa told NUSOJ, "I was taking photographs when the policeman hit me unexpectedly on the face."

""It was around 11:00am on Monday morning, It was expected the president to arrive from Djibouti." Mr. Nawaa added.

Somaliland is a relative safe regions of nothern SomaliaUnprecedented attacks against journalists have been one of the biggest challenges the journalists face, sometimes facing arrests, intimidation, legal procedures etc. The National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ) condemns the act and calls the Somaliland Authorities to cease the attacks against the press.

"Slapping the Journalist's face on duty by presidential guard is inhuman and deliberate act of abuse," Mohamed Ibrahim, the Secretary General of the National Union of Somali Journalists said, "We demand from the Somaliland authorities to end the impunity and call upon to cease the attacks against the journalists."

On Oct. 27, 2011, Mohamed Abdi Kahin, who works for both a Somali new website Ramaas and Royal Television 24 respectively, was seriously beaten by Somaliland police at Shacabka neighborhood in Hargeysa, in proud daylight. The police accused the journalist for taking recently published photographs.