New York, April 26, 2004—CPJ is deeply concerned about reports that two journalists have been detained in separate incidents in the self-declared autonomous region of Puntland, northeast Somalia, and the self-declared republic of Somaliland.

Abdishakur Yusuf Ali, editor-in-chief of the independent War-Ogaal newspaper in Bossasso, Puntland, was arrested on April 21, because of an article accusing Puntland Finance Minister Abdirahman Mohamud Farole of corruption, said local journalists. The article claimed that Farole had sold off food aid donated by the international community.

Abdishakur has not been formally charged.

Meanwhile Abdirahman Haji Dahir, a reporter for independent Somaliland daily Haatuf, was arrested early this morning in the port city of Berbera because of an article that mentioned differences between Somaliland President Dahir Riyale Kahin and his vice president, said local journalists.

CPJ sources said that by evening local time Dahir was still detained at Berbera’s main police station but had not been formally charged. They said police questioned him, asking if he was the author of an article that appeared in the April 15 edition of Haatuf. The article discussed the reasons for Kahin’s current visit to Berbera. It also discussed alleged differences between Kahin and Vice President Ahmed Yusuf Yassin over the need for a cabinet reshuffle.