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A journalist jailed in Somalia after broadcasting an interview with the leader of a militant group has been released following a presidential pardon.

Abdifatah Jama Mire, who was deputy director of Horseed Media FM in Puntland, was sentenced to six years in prison in August after broadcasting an interview with a militant leader whose group was understood to be linked to Al-Qaeda, national reports claimed

At the time it was reported that Mire had been arrested along with seven other journalists from the station. His colleagues were released following questioning, but Mire was charged with 'supporting terrorists and inciting violence', Reporters Without Borders reported, and sentenced to six years in prison.

But on Sunday, Puntland president Abrirahman Mohamed Farole announced that he had issued a presidential pardon for Mire who was then released yesterday, the Committee to Protect Journalists reports. "We are extremely relieved that Abdifatah Jama was pardoned and released today after nearly three months in jail," CPJ's East Africa consultant Tom Rhodes said in the report.

"His arrest and conviction violated basic standards of fairness and should not have taken place. We hope this will be the last incident of authorities jailing a journalist for covering this conflict."

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Written by
Rachel Bartlett

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