Somaliland crackdown on independent reporting: 10 journalists arrested in five months

The Somali Journalists Syndicate (SJS) is extremely concerned about the escalation of arrests and intimidation through the courts against journalists operating in Somaliland, particularly in the Sanaag region, where security tensions have recently been high.

SJS has documented 10 new cases of journalist arrests, detention, and with some ending in sham court trials involving intimidation tactics between March and July 2025. SJS urges Somaliland authorities to stop targeting journalists perceived as critical of state officials and to respect its own constitution, which clearly guarantees freedom of the media.

On 1 July 2025, Somaliland police in Hargeisa arrested journalist Yasir Ahmed Abdillahi while he was staying at a hotel in downtown Hargeisa. On 30 June, he hadpublished a videoon his Facebook page, which has over 102,000 followers, commenting on Somaliland President Abdirahman Abdillahi Irro’s visit to Doha, Qatar, describing it as "low level” and stating that "Qatar welcomed the Somaliland president as a regional leader of Somaliland instead of president of Somaliland.” Yasir told SJS that Somaliland Attorney General charged him with being "anti-Somaliland.” but on 4 July, the Maroodi Jeh court in Hargeisagave his freedom after finding no evidence against him.

On 22 June 2025, Somaliland police in the port town of Berberaarrestedlocal journalist Abdirisaq Qaasim, who works for Saab TV. Hisarrestfollowed allegations that he had anonymously published a report on a Facebook page not officially linked to him. The post mentioned two Somaliland officials: Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives Sa’id Mire and MP Mohamed Khadar. The following morning, on 23 June, police transferred the journalist to Hargeisa, where he was held for a week in Hargeisa Central Prison. On 25 June, the same Facebook page publishedan apology statementreferring to an earlier post critical of MP Mohamed Khadar and Deputy Speaker Sa’id Mire. However, the original article was no longer available as of the date of the apology. A journalist at Saab TV told SJS that Abdirisaq Qaasim was released on 25 June and that the case was resolved through clan negotiations. Both Deputy Speaker Mire and MP Khadar did not respond to SJS’s attempts to seek their comments.

On 9 June 2025, police in Erigabo arrested journalist Sa’id Muse Farah (known as Sa’id Qurbawi) for interviewing employees of the Erigabo TB Hospital who hadraised complaintsagainst the hospital’s director and that the hospital could not deliver essential services to the patients including food and treatment. The journalist was released on bail the following day. However, on 14 June, the Erigabocourt finedhim 800 Somaliland Shillings (approximately US$ 80) for publishing a critical report about the hospital director. Sa’id Qurbawi told SJS that he paid around $100 to secure his release, but insisted that his reporting and interviews were in the public interest. He also told SJS that the hospital director influenced the court’s decision in his favor.

On 29 May 2025, Somaliland police in Erigabo arrested local journalist Warsame Kaafi Abdirashid Aden after he published avox-pop interviewwith a woman who alleged that she had been physically assaulted by the chairman of the Erigabo-based Sanaag Appeals Court. The interview was posted on 14 May on the journalist’s Facebook page, which has 26,000 followers. Warsame reported that the woman was the second to accuse the Sanaag Appeals Court chairman of physical assault followinganother womanwho came out in January with similar allegation. Warsame told SJS that instead of investigating the abuse allegations against the court official, he was arrested and held at Erigabo Prison for four days before being released without charge. He told SJS that his arrest was ordered by the appeals court chairman, who was upset by the report. The recent woman he interviewed was alsoarrestedand held at a prison outside Erigabo, according to Warsame and local sources.

On 11 May 2025, police in Erigaboarrestedjournalist Mohamed Abdi Hassan (known as Onkod) after he published a video report in which local clan members in Jiidali village, Sanaag region, threatened to take action against armed men in the area whom they accused of blocking the movement of commercial trucks along the road. A representative of the Somaliland Journalists Association (SOLJA) told SJS that authorities accused the journalist of "inciting violence,” but he was released after three days in detention without being charged.

On 23 May 2025, police in Hargeisa arrested freelance journalist Abdiqadir Mohamed Aw-Hassan, who publishes content on his Facebook page. Hisarrestfollowed accusations that he had shared a now deleted video clip that was allegedly critical of President Abdirahman Abdillahi Irro. According to two local journalists who initially saw the video, the clip was more of a "satirical piece”, depicting the Somaliland president in women’s clothing, which likely angered the authorities. Following his arrest, Abdiqadir was detained at Hargeisa Police Criminal Investigation Prison. On 4 July, the Maroodi-Jeh court in Hargeisa sentenced him to six months in jail for "insulting the president.” However, the Somaliland Attorney General’s Office announced plans to appeal the verdict, a source who attended the court told SJS. A representative of SOLJA told SJS that another court hearing is expected to review the Attorney General’s appeal. Despite his imprisonment,Abdiqadir’s Facebookpage remainsactiveusing "admin note” updates. The page has 78,000 followers.

On 20 March 2025, the Somaliland Intelligence Agencydetainedlocal journalist Yusuf Abdalle Yusuf, who publishes for the YouTube-basedXog Ogaal News.According to local media, national intelligence officers raided his hotel in Hargeisa and detained him around midday. On 16 March, Yusuf hadreported on the Xog Ogaal YouTube channelthat some clan militias in El Afweyn, Sanaag region, had refused to join Somaliland forces and had instead mobilized themselves in a remote rural area. Following his detention, Yusuf was held at the intelligence headquarters for four hours, during which he was questioned before being released. Local mediareportedthat he was warned not to speak publicly about his detention or the officers involved.

On 18 March 2025, police in Erigaboarrestedjournalist Abdiladif Sa’id Asayr after he published vox-pop interviews and Facebook posts featuring members of local clans who were displeased with the Somaliland government’s actions to exclude certain clan militias in the Sanaag region from recruitment into the Somaliland army. Journalists in the region told SJS that the arrest was ordered by the Somaliland Minister of Defense, who was reportedly displeased with the journalist’s report. Abdiladif was released a few days later. However, on 30 May 2025, Abdiladif was arrested again—this time in Hargeisa—reportedly on the orders of the Director General of the Somaliland Ministry of Interior. The arrest followed a Facebook post -now deleted- by the journalist alleging that the Director General had failed to contribute to development efforts in his home region of Sanaag. Abdiladif was released after spending four days in detention in Hargeisa. The Director General could not be reached for comment by SJS.

On 8 March 2025, Somaliland police in Erigaboarrestedlocal journalist Mohamed Suute, who publishes on Facebook, after he posted vox-pop interviews with members of local clans criticizing the Somaliland government’s efforts to nationalize clan militias in the Sanaag region. His arrest was carried out without any warrant. He was released on 10 March 2025 without charge, following pressure from local journalists. This was the second time Mohamed Suute was arrested in 2025, indicating an increasing crackdown by local authorities on online criticism.

On 1 March 2025, Somaliland police in Erigabo arrested journalist Qayraan Aadan after he published vox-pop interviews on his Facebook page featuring members of local clans who were criticizing the Somaliland government’s efforts to nationalize clan militias in the Sanaag region. Local journalists and Qayraan himself told SJS that the arrest was ordered by the Somaliland Minister of Defense, who was reportedly displeased with the journalist’s reporting. A representative of SOLJA told SJS that the arrest was unlawful and confirmed that Qayraan was released on 4 March 2025, after spending three days in a cell in Erigabo. Following his release, Qayraan told SJS that hisFacebook page, which had over 40,000 followers, was suspended due to multiple copyright claims—an act he believes was a deliberate attempt to suppress his critical reporting in the region.

"We are deeply alarmed by the growing pattern of arrests, detentions, and intimidation of journalists in Somaliland—especially in the Sanaag region,” said SJS Secretary General, Abdalle Mumin. "The arrests and detentions of 10 journalists between March and July this year who were arrested just for their reporting reflect a disturbing attempt to silence independent reporting through arbitrary detentions and politically motivated court proceedings. We urge Somaliland authorities to end these violations, stop targeting critical voices, and uphold the media freedoms guaranteed in their own constitution.”