MOGADISHU, Somalia – The Director of National Intelligence Security Agency [NISA] Fahad Yasin has been
dragged to the recent outright violation of media freedoms, in a move that would see him battle in court for the sake
of clearance of his reputation.
A Mogadishu-based law rm; Heegan, has led a lawsuit implicating the controversial and daring spy chief in the
raid targeting independent media, Mustaqbal Media, which left a number of equipment destroyed besides having
top ofcials arrested.
The station is one of few independent media stations in the Horn of Africa nation, whose attitude towards media
freedoms has often been questioned, with Amnesty International ranking it as one of the countries where it’s
difcult to work as a journalist.
In a detailed lawsuit, Heegan law rm said it attained enough evidence to warrant prosecution of NISA boss Fahad
Yasin, whose record towards journalists and opposition politicians has often been criticized. In fact, last year, a host
of opposition politicians de
Also in the mix is former Villa Somalia Director of Communication Abdinur Mohamed, who currently works as
Deputy Chief of Staff in the presidency. Abdinur, along with Fahad Yasin, is accused of conspiring with security
forces to order a raid at the station.
The station was victimized by a live broadcast of protests and a security forces clash in Mogadishu, which left four
people dead. A section of SNA soldiers supporting the opposition had seized several parts of the capital city, forcing
a counterattack from those loyal to President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo.
Already, the mutineers have left the capital to their bases in Middle Shebelle and parts of Lower Shabelle where they
are stationed. A committee picked by Prime Minister Mohamed Hussein Roble had recommended their evacuation
from Mogadishu without victimization.
The two government operatives are yet to respond to the latest accusations over their conduct during the material
day. But Yasin, a former Al-Jazeera journalist, is viewed as “Mr. Fix It” of outgoing President Mohamed Abdullahi
Farmajo, whose term expired on Feb 8.
During World Media Freedoms Day on May 3, Farmajo met a number of media owners and journalists in Villa
Somalia where he pledged to nd out the motive of the attack against Mustaqbal Media. But in Somalia, the judicial
system is almost dysfuncti
