In brief
- President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo contacted Puntland President Said Abdullahi Deni by telephone, according to Goobjoog News on 21 July 2019.
- Three members of the road reconstruction team in Bosaso were arrested on Thursday, the report said.
- Puntland's Attorney General said only the law can release the suspects, and that they would be charged according to the law.
On 21 July 2019, Goobjoog News reported that President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo had contacted Puntland President Said Abdullahi Deni by telephone. The report said the call came after three members of the road reconstruction team in Bosaso were arrested on Thursday.
President Farmajo said the Federal Government of Somalia is deeply saddened by the arrests and called on President Deni to unconditionally restore their freedom, Goobjoog News reported.
Puntland’s Attorney General, Mohamud Hassan Osman, said that neither President Deni nor President Farmajo can release the arrested suspects, and that only the law has the power to release them. He added that the suspects would be charged according to the law, as reported by Goobjoog News.
What the report does not establish
The exact date of the telephone call is not stated; the source says “yesterday” relative to the article’s publication date of 21 July 2019. The exact date of the arrests is also not given beyond “Thursday.”
The report does not name the arrested members of the road reconstruction team or state the specific charges against them. It does not report whether the arrested members have been released since the report, nor does it record any response from President Deni regarding Farmajo’s request. The impact of the arrests on the road reconstruction project is not covered in the report.
Goobjoog News based its reporting on statements attributed to President Farmajo and to Puntland’s Attorney General, Mohamud Hassan Osman.
Frequently asked questions
Who was arrested in Bosaso?
Three members of the road reconstruction team in Bosaso were arrested on Thursday, according to Goobjoog News. Their names were not reported.
What did President Farmajo say?
President Farmajo said the Federal Government of Somalia is deeply saddened by the arrests and called on President Deni to unconditionally restore their freedom, Goobjoog News reported.
Has Puntland responded to Farmajo’s call?
The report does not record any response from President Deni. Puntland’s Attorney General said that only the law can release the suspects and that they would be charged according to the law.