NASSIR Posted August 27, 2007 Protestors in Somalia demand release of imprisoned district officials BAIDOA, Somalia Aug 26 (Garowe Online) - Hundreds of people demonstrated in southwestern Somalia Sunday to demand the immediate release of three district commissioners who were jailed last week. Demonstrators in Diinsoor, in Bay region northwest of Mogadishu, demanded that the district's commissioner Abdihafid Sheikh Hussein be released after spending the past five days in a Baidoa jail. Mr. Hussein, along with the district commissioners of Qansah Dheere and Buurhakaba, were jailed by police on August 20 on corruption allegations. All three district commissioners have not been brought in front of a court, a development that has angered residents and even the deputy Speaker of parliament. Demonstrators called on the Somali president and Speaker of parliament to intervene in the case. Yesterday, Deputy Speaker Mohamed Omar Dalha told lawmakers that the detention of the three district officials is a "violation" and demanded their release. Unconfirmed reports said Bay regional officials are behind the arrest of the district commissioners. Baidoa, capital of Bay region, has been the temporary home for the interim Somali federal parliament since early 2006. Source: Garowe Online Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
