Authorities in Puntland state of Somalia have released 17 Baloch fishermen after 7 months. The most influential Sunni scholar has asked the authorities to pardon and release them.
“SunniOnline” reported, the fishermen entered Somalia waters accidently in Oct. 2017 and captured by coastal guards. Their fishing boot was detained, too.
Captain of the boot was shot dead by the guards in the incident as the fishermen tried to run away considering the guards “pirates”.
In the initial trial, a court in Bosaso fined each fisherman 1500$ with two years in prison. But after interceding of Shaikh Abdol-Hamid, president of Darululoom Zahedan and release of a group of Somali fishermen from Iran, the Baloch fishermen were pardoned and then released on May 10, 2018.
They reached home after 40 days as the agent taken by the owner of the boot kept them in his house demanding fees.
Shaikh Abdol-Hamid sent many letters and messages to the president of the Puntland State of Somalia via local scholars and preachers asking him to free the fishermen as soon as possible.
According to the fishermen, they were prisoned in a jail with low facilities and bad environment in Bosaso.