Hargeysa(Mogadishu24)-Somaliland journalist Bushaaro Ali Baandey was sentenced to one year in prison on Tuesday by a regional court in Hargeisa following pressure and calls for immediate by locals and International Press Organizations . The court’s ruling included the three months she has already spent in custody and is subject to a substantial cash bond.

She was arrested on May 15 following allegations of disseminating false information on social media, and has been detained since then.

The Somaliland Administration faced immense pressure from the human rights advocates and the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) to give Busharo her freedom and release her from the cell due to her health complications.

They argued that she endured mistreatment and torture while in custody, resulting in injuries that sparked extensive debates on social media throughout her imprisonment.

Bushaaro’s family has expressed their satisfaction with the court’s decision, following repeated postponements of the case.

The Government of Somaliland has undermined press freedom through the arrests of numerous journalists who served as public watchdogs.

Abdimalik Coldoon, arrested in 2019, and served three years in prison which ended this year. Abdimalik had exposed indecent activities occurring within schools affiliated with the Mission, particularly Abaarso Education Schools.

The Administration has accused these journalists of violating the law by sharing false information on social media and disseminating misleading content through television broadcasts.

Somalia remains one of the dangerous countries for journalists and media practitioners to operate in the world.