Wednesday August 12, 2026
Mogadishu (AX) — After 122 days behind bars, Sadia Moalim Ali, popularly known as Sadia Bajaaj, was released on Wednesday when the Banadir Regional Court of Appeal overturned her three-year prison sentence.
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The appellate court ruled that the conviction lacked sufficient formal grounds in relation to the charges brought against her and ordered that she be freed.
Mohamed Sheikh Osman Said, one of Sadia’s defense lawyers, confirmed her release to Hiiraan Online and welcomed the ruling.
Sadia had spent more than four months in custody after being convicted of offenses linked to public incitement and abuse of power involving government officials.
Her arrest and the subsequent three-year sentence drew criticism from opposition politicians, human rights organizations and other members of Somali society. They called for a review of the case and demanded her release.
Rights groups and campaigners also pressed the Somali government and judicial authorities to reconsider her detention, raising concerns about her legal rights and family circumstances.
Wednesday’s ruling brought an end to Sadia’s 122-day imprisonment and nullified the three-year sentence previously handed down by the Banadir Regional Court.
