Somalia's Press Freedom Groups Call for Accountability and Protection During Meeting with Diplomatic Community
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21 May 2025 14:32
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MOGADISHU, Somalia – Press freedom organizations convened today [Tuesday] in Mogadishu with members of the international diplomatic community to raise urgent concerns about the worsening state of freedom of expression in Somalia.
The meeting brought together press freedom advocates, representatives from International Media Support (IMS), officials from the Ministry of Information who have been targeting journalists including SJS, and members of the diplomatic community.
Participants voiced alarm over the increasing repression targeting Somali journalists, particularly those based in Mogadishu, and the broader erosion of press freedom across the country.
The Somali Journalists Syndicate (SJS) expressed grave concern over the escalating attacks on journalists, SJS members, and independent media houses. These attacks have intensified following public threats issued by government officials from the police and the the Ministry of Information.
"Since the statement by the Minister of Information Daud Aweis Jama and the Mogadishu Police Commissioner, Moalim Mahdi on 6 March 2025, attacks on journalists have significantly increased. Press freedom is dying in Somalia. We are deeply concerned that the Somali government—specifically the Ministry of Information, police forces, and the National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA)—is deliberately targeting journalists for their independent reporting,” said Mohamed Ibrahim Bulbul, SJS Secretary of Information and Human Rights, during the meeting.
PHOTO: Press freedom organizations convened today in Mogadishu with members of the international diplomatic community to raise urgent concerns about the worsening state of freedom of expression in Somalia. | PHOTO/ SJS.
Reporting on security issues including threats posed by Al-Shabaab terror group, government corruption and human rights abuses remain a red line for journalists in Somalia, particularly in Mogadishu.
The 6 March statement by Minister Daud Aweis and Mogadishu Police Commissioner Mahdi Omar Muumin (known as Moalim Mahdi who is also an ex-defector of Al-Shabaab), which openly threatened "severe punishment” media outlets against publishing any reporting related to security has triggered a new wave of suppression.
Participants also highlighted the growing intimidation of journalists working for state media in Mogadishu, many of whom have faced threats, suspensions, and dismissals for critical reporting or expressing independent views.
Serious concern was raised regarding threats against women journalists, including threats of sexual violence and other security risks, which have become increasingly common.
The diplomatic community was urged to stand in support of press freedom advocacy and to take meaningful steps to ensure the safety and protection of Somali journalists.
Between 1 January and 30 April 2025, a total of 46 journalists were arrested or detained across Somalia, according to SJS documentation. Journalist Mohamed Abukar Dabaashe was killed in Al-Shabaab bombing in Mogadishu on 18 March. Additionally, two journalists were kidnapped and have since disappeared in Lower Shabelle, Southwest State. Both government forces and Al-Shabaab have contributed to an increasingly hostile environment for the press, marked by physical attacks, arbitrary arrests, killings, and online censorship.
PHOTO: The meeting was attended by officials from the Ministry of Information who have been targeting journalists including SJS.
State security forces and police—many of whom are former Al-Shabaab defectors—were behind most of the raids, arrests, and intimidation incidents. NISA continued its practice of unlawful detentions and harassment, particularly in Mogadishu. Of the 46 arrests so far, 41 occurred in Mogadishu alone, underscoring how Mogadishu remains a dangerous place for journalists.
Reflecting today’s engagement, the SJS Secretary General, Abdalle Mumin, thanked the diplomatic community for their efforts and reiterated a strong call for media freedom as a cornerstone of democracy, peacebuilding, and efforts to counter violent extremism.
PHOTO: Mohamed Ibrahim Bulbul, SJS Secretary of Information and Human Rights spoke about the attacks on journalists during the meeting on Tuesday.
"I take this opportunity to remind Somalia’s international partners that there can be no democratic Somalia unless we have a strong and independent media, and the international community must act to defend free media. Accountability is key to ending this cycle of violence subjected to the journalist community in Somalia including SJS members. Let us make no mistake: those who target journalists must be held accountable, no matter how powerful they are or whether they command armed groups,” said SJS Secretary General, Abdalle Mumin.
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Somalia's Press Freedom Groups Call for Accountability and Protection During Meeting with Diplomatic Community
MOGADISHU, Somalia – Press freedom organizations convened today [Tuesday] in Mogadishu with members of the international diplomatic community to raise urgent concerns about the worsening state of freedom of expression in Somalia.