NUSOJ Raises Alarm Over Journalists’ Arrests and Harassment in Mogadishu

Mounting political strain in Mogadishu is spilling into the newsroom, with Somali journalists facing arrests, intimidation and abuse in a series of incidents that the National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ) says point to a dangerous clampdown on independent reporting.

The cases, all involving officers of the Somali Police Force, have affected journalists from six media outlets: Kalsan TV, Goobjoog Media Group, Shabelle Media Network, Somali Stream, Somali Cable TV and Kaab TV. NUSOJ says the pattern is especially alarming because it is unfolding as the capital grapples with sensitive political developments and the need for reliable information has become even more acute.

On 6 May 2026 at about 5:00 PM, Somali Police Force officers arrested two Kalsan TV staff members — journalist Ja’far Mohamed Jim’ale and cameraman Noradin Hasan Ali — while they were covering clashes between the public and security forces in the Warlaliska area of Dayniile District. NUSOJ said the pair were first held at Dayniile District Police Station and then, the next day, quietly moved to Garisbaley District Police Station. Their families and media employer kept searching for them at the original site, apparently unaware of the transfer.

While in custody, the two were reportedly subjected to degrading treatment and punishment by police officers, including repeated jumping exercises over an extended period. Ja’far Mohamed Jim’ale also said officers took a camera and smartphone belonging to the journalists; both items remain missing. The two were released on 7 May 2026 and no formal charges were filed.

In another case that same night, Goobjoog Media Group journalist Rowdo Hassan Abdi, also known as Takilo, was detained by Somali Police Force officers while heading home in Mogadishu. She was taken into custody without explanation and held overnight.

She was freed on 7 May 2026, but the circumstances of the arrest remain troubling. After her release, Rowdo Hassan Abdi said on social media that police told her the detention had been a mistake and was meant for someone else, and that officers offered an informal verbal apology.

Also on 6 May 2026, Shabelle Media Network journalist Shukri Aabi Abdi and cameraman Abdullahi Abdifatah Sidow were detained by Somali Police Force officers in Hamar Jajab District while covering forced evictions. Police took them to Hamar Jajab Police Station, where they were held for several hours before being released later that day. NUSOJ noted that no physical assault or seizure of equipment was reported in that incident, but said the detention itself still amounted to an unlawful obstruction of legitimate journalism.

More detentions followed on 8 May 2026 in Wadajir District, where Abdishakur Mohamed Mohamud, known as Shakra and the director of Somali Stream’s Mogadishu Office, freelance journalist Abdihafid Nor Barre and Mohamed Ibrahim Bulbul of Kaab TV were taken by officers of Somalia’s National Intelligence and Security Agency, or NISA, at Kaafi Hospital while off duty. NUSOJ said the main target appeared to be Abdihafid Nor Barre, whom authorities had been following, and linked the incident to his reporting on politically sensitive matters, including the opposition leaders’ demonstration expected on Sunday. The three were released later that same night after brief detention.

In each of the incidents, the journalists were not informed of any formal charges and, according to NUSOJ, no lawful procedures were followed. The union said such arbitrary detention by police represents a serious abuse of power and a direct assault on media freedom and constitutional rights.

“The repeated arrest, intimidation and harassment of journalists by officers of the Somali Police Force represents a serious abuse of power and a dangerous attack on media freedom,” said Omar Faruk Osman, Secretary General of NUSOJ. “Journalists are not criminals. They are public interest professionals carrying out their constitutional duty to inform society. The actions documented by NUSOJ demonstrate a deeply worrying pattern of targeting journalists simply for doing their work.”

NUSOJ condemned the Somali Police Force’s conduct in all of the reported cases, saying journalists cannot be treated as criminals for doing their jobs. The union said such actions are incompatible with Somalia’s constitutional protections for freedom of expression and media freedom, and stressed that journalists must be able to work without punishment, intimidation or harassment.

“What is particularly alarming is that these arrests were carried out without due process, without formal charges and in some cases involved degrading treatment and deliberate attempts to conceal the whereabouts of detained journalists from their families and media organisations,” Osman added. “The Federal Government of Somalia must urgently ensure that the Somali Police Force stops interfering with journalists and guarantees that media professionals can operate freely and safely without fear of arrest, intimidation or retaliation.”