Press Freedom

Somali police arrest journalists, disperse women protesting against sexual violence

MOGADISHU, Somalia (Horn Observer)– The Somali Journalists Syndicate (SJS) strongly condemns the unlawful arrest of five journalists in Mogadishu and the confiscation of their equipment on Friday, 28 March, as they were covering a women's protest demanding accountability for two Somali girls who…

Intensified Crackdown on Journalists: Somali police raid home of SJS Secretary of Information Mohamed Bulbul in Mogadishu

MOGADISHU, Somalia 27 March, 2025 – The Somali Journalists Syndicate (SJS) is extremely concerned about the police raid on the residence of SJS Secretary of Information and Human Rights, Mohamed Ibrahim Bulbul, on Wednesday, 26 March.

After surviving Al-Shabaab attack, journalist Ibrahim Mayow abducted by Somali police

MOGADISHU, Somalia – 25 March, 2025 – The Somali Journalists Syndicate (SJS) expresses deep concern over the abduction of journalist Ibrahim Mohamed Mayow, who was kidnapped in Afgooye, about 30km from Mogadishu, on Monday 24 March, while reporting from the town.

Somali Police Shut Down an Independent Radio Station and Arrested 5 Journalists After Reporting on the Bombing Attack on the President's Convoy in Mogadishu

MOGADISHU, Somalia – 18 March 2025 – The Somali Journalists Syndicate (SJS) and the Somali Media Association (SOMA) condemn the arrest of five Risaala Media Corporation journalists, who were detained today after Somali police raided and shut down their station in Mogadishu.

Somali Journalist Mohamed Abukar Dabaashe Killed in Al-Shabaab Bomb Attack in Mogadishu

MOGADISHU, Somalia – 18 March 2025 – The Somali Journalists Syndicate (SJS) condemns the Al-Shabaab bomb explosion attack that killed a young independent journalist in Mogadishu, Somalia, on Tuesday.

Somalia: Female journalist detained for exposing health hazard from government officials' rubbish amid media crackdown in Mogadishu

MOGADISHU, Somalia – 17 March, 2025 – The Somali Journalists Syndicate (SJS) strongly condemns the unlawful detention of journalist Bahjo Abdullahi Salad of RTN TV and the raid on her home, which took place on Saturday, 15 March, 2025, in Mogadishu by members of the Somali National Intelligence…

Somalia: NISA detains female TV journalist following raid at her home in Mogadishu

Mogadishu, Somalia (Horn Observer) Members of Somalia's National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA) detained an RTN reporter and newscaster Ms Bahjo Abdullahi Salaad, after security forces raided her home in Mogadishu on Saturday morning.

Somalia: SJS urges Somaliland to lift Universal TV ban and calls for press freedom in Southwest State

MOGADISHU, Somalia, 4 March 2024 – The Somali Journalists Syndicate (SJS) calls on the Somaliland authorities to lift the ongoing ban on Universal TV and to stop detaining journalists who scrutinize government officials, while also urging Somalia's Southwest State officials to allow independent…

Mogadishu Tuktuk Driver Detained for Saying People Are Hungry, Another Man Killed for Sharing Facebook Post of Police Abuses

MOGADISHU, Somalia (HORN OBSERVER / KAAB TV) – The Somali Police Force arrested a tuk tuk taxi driver, Sayid Ali, after he spoke out about the severe hunger faced by people in Mogadishu due to rising unemployment, extortion, and corruption within the police.

Somaliland officially withdraws licence from Universal TV over critical reporting

Hargeisa, Somaliland (Horn Observer) Somaliland's ministry of information has on Wednesday officially withdrewn lisence from Universal TV, a UK based Somali TV in a letter addressed the persecutor, in a move that many say aims to tighten control over narratives that challenge their authority.