Somalia rights commission raises concern over detained activist held without trial
During her interview with the commission, Ali said she had endured harsh conditions behind bars, including intimidation, insufficient food, overcrowding, poor sanitation and limits on family visits. The commission said it could not independently confirm those claims but...
Friday May 15, 2026
Mogadishu (AX) — Somalia’s National Independent Human Rights Commission has raised alarm over the prolonged detention of Sadio Moallim Ali, saying she has spent more than a month in Mogadishu Central Prison without being tried.
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In a May 13 statement, the commission said it had visited the facility on April 29 to examine Ali’s detention conditions and review her legal and humanitarian circumstances.
The commission said its delegation met with Correctional Service officials, prison administrators, Ali and her lawyer during the inspection.
Ali is being held on allegations of defamation and incitement to social unrest, according to a May 6 statement from the National Prosecutor’s Office. The rights commission said, however, that she has still not been presented before a court or given a hearing date, deepening concerns over her right to due process.
During her interview with the commission, Ali said she had endured harsh conditions behind bars, including intimidation, insufficient food, overcrowding, poor sanitation and limits on family visits. The commission said it could not independently confirm those claims but called for a thorough inquiry.
Dr. Maryam Qaasim, who chairs the National Independent Human Rights Commission, said detention does not cancel a person’s basic protections.
“Every person in detention still has the right to dignity, to be treated humanely, to receive medical care and full legal protection,” she said.
The commission urged state institutions to accelerate judicial proceedings and safeguard the rights of detainees, particularly those who have yet to appear in court.
Ali’s case has drawn condemnation from opposition figures and human rights advocates, who argue that authorities are deploying legal and security tools to silence peaceful speech. Opposition leaders have tied the matter to wider grievances aired by young bajaj drivers in Mogadishu, who have staged protests over alleged corruption, unemployment, heavy taxation and soaring fuel prices.
Amnesty International made an urgent appeal weeks ago demanding Ali’s unconditional release. The organization said she had been denied access to legal counsel and that her family had not been informed of any formal charges.
Rights groups say Ali’s detention stems from her online activism and her role in peaceful demonstrations criticizing the federal government. In one video circulated online, Ali reportedly said Somalia’s leadership would be responsible if harm came to her.
Amnesty called the detention arbitrary, saying Ali was being punished solely for exercising her right to free expression. It pressed Somali authorities to free her immediately or ensure that any detention meets international human rights standards, including access to lawyers, family visits and adequate medical care.
