A press freedom group condemned the Somali government's closure of three independent broadcasters accused of supporting terrorists, saying the allegations were unproven.
The Mogadishu-based radio stations — Shabelle, HornAfrik and Radio of the Holy Quran — remained closed Thursday, the day after the shutdown.
"The authorities have silenced important, independent voices on the basis of unsubstantiated accusations," said Joel Simon, executive director of the New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists. "We call on the Somali transitional government to allow these broadcasters back on the air immediately."
In January, the government issued a one-day closure order against the stations.
Somalia descended into chaos in 1991, when warlords ousted longtime dictator Mohamed Siad Barre and then fought one another. The government was formed in 2004 with the help of the United Nations, but it has struggled to assert any real authority.
The administration, with the crucial aid of neighboring Ethiopia, ousted Islamic radicals who had ruled Mogadishu and much of southern Somali for six months last year. But insurgents linked to the group have vowed to launch an Iraq-style guerrilla war until the country becomes an Islamic state.
Somali and Ethiopian troops have come under frequent attacks.
