MOGADISHU – The Somali Journalists Syndicate (SJS) strongly denounces the harassment, intimidation, and unlawful detention of journalists in Laascaanood, including the forced deletion of published material and the coercion of journalist Abdirisaq Abdirahman, known as Kobciye, into recording apology videos under duress.
On 21 February, police officers in Laascaanood detained Raxanreeb Media journalist Abdirisaq Abdirahman, known as Kobciye, and forced him to delete a video report that his outlet had broadcast days earlier.
On 17 February, Raxanreeb Media, where Abdirisaq Kobciye works, published a video clip in which construction laborers in Laascaanood complained about low wages and alleged that foreign workers were taking over their jobs because they were paid half the rates local laborers would normally charge.
The laborers had held a press conference in Laascaanood, which the media covered.
According to Abdirisaq Kobciye and the founder of Raxanreeb Media, Farah Atto, police began trailing Abdirisaq and raided his office in the city center, confiscating three cameras and two laptops. On the afternoon of 17 February, the police went to Abdirisaq Kobciye’s home, where officers harassed his family members.
After three days in hiding, Abdirisaq Kobciye was taken to a police station in Laascaanood on Saturday, 21 February, where he was forced to delete the video from Raxanreeb’s Facebook platform and record a clip “apologizing to the police.” The clip was later posted on a Facebook page associated with the police.
Abdirisaq Kobciye told SJS that he was coerced into recording the video.
Although he was initially informed that clan elders were attempting to resolve the matter with the police, he was taken to the police station with a mobile phone already recording and told that he would not be released unless he recorded the apology video, which he ultimately did.
Meanwhile, on the same day, 21 February, Laascaanood police briefly arrested Mowliid Ismaaciil of Halbeeg Media after he recorded protests by local community members in Laascaanood who were opposing a planned forced eviction allegedly linked to the mayor of Laascaanood. He was released after spending two hours in police custody and after all video clips were deleted.
“The forced deletion of published content, confiscation of equipment, and coercion of journalist Abdirisaq Kobciye into recording apology videos under duress are blatant violations of press freedom and cannot be tolerated,” said SJS Secretary General Abdalle Ahmed Mumin. “Journalists must not be punished for reporting on issues of public interest. What happened in Laascaanood is an abuse of authority and a dangerous attempt to silence independent media.”
He added, “We call on the Northeastern authorities in Laascaanood to immediately end these unlawful practices, return confiscated equipment, and ensure that security forces stop interfering with the work of journalists. Those responsible for harassing and intimidating media workers must be held accountable. Press freedom is not a privilege granted by authorities — it is a fundamental right that must be protected.”