Hargeisa (SD) – Somaliland’s Supreme Court today finally lifted a five year ban on Hubsad newspaper.

Hubsad newspaper’s case has been pending in court for almost a year, with a case involving newspaper ownership, the owner of the newspaper, Abdirashid Nur Wais, and the editor-in-chief of the newspaper, Said Khadar aw-Abdullahi, were arrested in late 2016.

They were released after being detained at the C.I.D. Detention Center in Hargeisa for five days.

In mid-2016, the newspaper’s case was first heard in the Hargeisa Regional Court, and on November 7, 2016, the Regional Court acquitted them and issued a decision to lift the ban on Hubsad.

However, the Attorney General’s office has appealed the decision. The newspaper’s case was referred to the Hargeisa Regional Court of Appeal. On May 7, 2017, the Court of Appeal issued a decision similar to the previous one. Once again, the Attorney General’s office appealed the decision to the Supreme Court of Somaliland.

The Newspaper’s owner and the Attorney General’s office didn’t speak to the media about today’s decision to finally lift the ban.