On Tuesday, 31 March, a group of 20 journalists from local and regional media were blocked and denied access to the presidential palace, Baidoa, following the arrival of Aden Mohamed Nur, also known as Sheikh Aden Madobe, Speaker of the Somali Lower House of Parliament. Journalists told SJS that security guards attached to Speaker Madobe prevented them from entering the palace and covering ongoing meetings. This occurred a day after the South West State leadership, including President Abdiaziz Hassan Mohamed Laftagareen, left the city for Nairobi, Kenya, as the city was taken over by federal forces and allied clan militias.

Journalists who initially went to Shaati Gaduud Airport in Baidoa said they were able to capture videos and photos of Speaker Aden Madobe’s arrival but were denied access to the palace by security guards without explanation, effectively blocking the media from obtaining information crucial for their reporting.

Journalists also reported worrying developments, including incidents of gunfire in the city and the alleged killings by gunmen in what some described as clan-related revenge. There were also reports of looting in certain areas of the city by militias, according to journalists and NGOs in Baidoa.

SJS interviewed two journalists who previously worked in Baidoa; they said they left the city due to fear of retaliation linked to their clan identity.

On Monday, 30 March, Baidoa fell to Somali federal government forces and allied clan militias after days of violent clashes on the city outskirts. Local NGO representatives told SJS that mass displacement occurred before and during the clashes, though some residents have begun returning. On 1 April, the Prime Minister of the Somali Federal Government, Hamsa Abdi Barre, issued a decree appointing his deputy, Jibril Abdirashid Haji Abdi, as “Acting Leader” of the South West State.

On Thursday, 2 April, media reported a brief gunfight erupted at the Baidoa municipal office, where a clan militia and its commander reportedly captured the facility, prompting another group of militias to attack. Journalists nearby told SJS that several people were killed and injured, causing fear in the local community.

On the morning of Friday, 3 April, a group of 10 journalists were again denied access to Shaati Gaduud Airport, where clan elders from the Digil and Mirifle clans were arriving. Two journalists affected told SJS that, upon arrival at the airport entrance, heavily armed officers from the Gaashaan Force—a unit now attached to Somali National Intelligence and the Office of the President—threatened them at gunpoint and instructed them to leave. “No journalist is allowed to enter the airport,” one reporter told SJS.

President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud was also reported to have arrived in Baidoa on Friday.

SJS calls on Somali government forces and allied militias in Baidoa, South West State, to allow journalists to report independently on developments in the city—including political and security matters—following the recent change in administration, and to immediately cease threats and denial of access that target independent journalists, many of whom work for local media, as they strive to keep the public informed about events in the region.

“We express deep concern over these incidents. We call for all actors involved in the political and security developments in Baidoa to ensure unhindered access for journalists and the media community,” said SJS Secretary General, Abdalle Mumin.

“Journalists often risk their lives to keep the public informed, and it is unacceptable that their work continues to be obstructed and their access denied, especially during events of significant public interest,” added Mr. Mumin.

The post Somali Forces and Allied Militias in Baidoa Restrict Media Access Amid Political and Security Developments in South West State appeared first on Kaab TV.

In a leaked audio recording corroborated by Kaab TV, Mr. Hussein further admitted that he attempted to increase the number of media personalities included in the scheme. However, only a few were ultimately added, while others were rejected.

“When I arrived at the office, there were four media stations on the official payroll: Shabelle TV, Universal TV, Dalsan TV, and Somali Cable TV, as well as Hassan Adde [a local TV director]. There were also individual media personalities,” Mr. Hussein said.

“Those who are paid are now visible and doing their job. That is what I did when I assumed the role,” he added.

The admission has raised serious concerns about media independence, transparency, and the potential misuse of public funds.

He also stated that the Mayor of Mogadishu, Mr. Hassan Mohamed Hussein Muungaab, is active on social media and closely monitors online news and discussions, saying the mayor closely follows emerging narratives and developments to better understand the public discourse.

He also stated that the Mayor of Mogadishu, Mr. Hassan Mohamed Hussein Muungaab, is active on social media and closely monitors online news and discussions, saying the mayor closely follows emerging narratives and developments to better understand the public discourse.

This is not the first such exposure. Under previous Somali administrations, payments and financial inducements to individual media personalities and influencers were reportedly common practice and have been documented in various reports.

The post Senior Mogadishu Official Exposes Government Payments to Somali Media and Influencers for Favorable Reporting appeared first on Kaab TV.

On 11 December, a group of journalists from local media outlets were covering two bomb explosions in Mogadishu’s Dayniile and Daaru Salaam districts, when police briefly arrested them and confiscated their equipment, preventing the journalists from their right to access information.

The journalists—Ja’far Mohamed Jimale (reporter), Sumayo Ali Hussein (reporter), and Abdirahman Mohamed Ahmed (cameraman)—were reporting for Kalsan TV, while Iqro Abdullahi Abdirahman and her unnamed camera operator were covering the incident for the online news channel Hirasho TV. Iqro said she was held by a soldier who twisted her arm during the arrest. The journalists were taken to the Dayniile Police Station, where police officers warned them not to report on the bombings.

Journalists said one of the two explosions targeted a local school in Dayniile neighborhood where an event related to the preparations for the disputed Mogadishu elections was taking place, killing at least one person and injuring several others. The second blast targeted another school in Daaru Salaam district, injuring an unknown number of people.  Recently, Somalia’s Minister of Education, Farah Abdukadir, announced that schools would be used as polling stations for the vote scheduled for 25 December, despite objections from educational institutions citing serious security risks.

Separately, on 11 December, six reporters were briefly arrested by police and members of the National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA) in Yaaqshiid district while reporting on a car accident that killed at least one person. Qasim Abdille Barrow and his colleague, cameraman Mohamed Adan of Somali Cable TV, said they were beaten with pistols before being arrested and having their equipment seized. Khadar Abdirahim Ibrahim of Himilo Media and his colleague, cameraman Abdirisak Haji Sidow, were also arrested and had their equipment confiscated.

Ali Yasin Ali, a cameraman with Somali Media Services (SMS), and Hussein Isse Mohamed, a reporter, told SJS that they were beaten with a gun by a soldier and briefly detained alongside Risaala TV cameraman Salman Abdirizak Shire, RTN TV cameraman Mohamed Abdukadir, Universal Somali TV reporter Abshir Abdullahi Amin, and Saab TV reporter Deeq Moalim Jinow.

Journalists in Mogadishu have reported increased pressure and threats from security agencies aimed at preventing coverage of terrorist attacks and local community complaints related to the controversial election in the capital. Residents have repeatedly described incidents in which people were abducted from the streets and forcibly registered as voters without their consent. Shooting incidents resulting in deaths have also been reported in the northern parts of the capital.

Journalists also told SJS that both bribery attempts and threats have been directed at media directors and journalists deemed critical of the government, including those working for international media outlets, in exchange for favorable coverage.

The disputed national election team has not responded to requests for comment.

“SJS condemns these acts of arbitrary arrests and detention, bribery and threats in which journalists were detained, their equipment seized, and they were prevented from reporting on matters of public interest in Mogadishu over the past weeks. We are also alarmed by the level of threats directed at critical reporters by the so-called independent electoral body, as Mogadishu faces serious security and economic challenges,” said SJS Secretary General, Abdalle Mumin. “These constitute a gross constitutional violation, depriving journalists of their right to access information and report freely—rights that, sadly, the Somali security forces, who are supposed to uphold them, have been ignoring.”

“We call on all those involved in these attacks to immediately stop. Journalists must be able to report on any incident occurring in their areas, whether or not those in power approve of the coverage,” added Mr. Mumin.

The post Journalists in Mogadishu Face Increased Attacks and Arrests Ahead of a Disputed ‘Local Election’ appeared first on Kaab TV.

Sharif Shuriye Hashi, 35, who worked as a journalist for Universal TV in Somalia, was arrested from his home in Jowhar on December 8th.

He was taken into custody by forces from the Hirshabelle State Police. According to journalists in Jowhar, the arrest was led by Hassan Jabshe, the deputy commander of the Jowhar Police Station.

Sharif’s recently married wife, Hamdi Muse Digow, also 35, was arrested on the same day. Both of them remain in police custody.

The post WATCH: Third Day of Journalist Shariif’s Discrimination Case Continues at Jowhar City Court appeared first on Kaab TV.

A colleague of Andar told Kaab TV that the journalist was taken into custody at the headquarters of Hargeisa’s police investigation unit.

The reasons for Andar’s arrest have not yet been disclosed.

Since President Irro took office, there has been a noticeable increase in the detention of journalists in Somaliland.

Media organizations have reported that, over the past ten months, cases of journalists being arrested have risen sharply, raising concerns about the state of press freedom in Somaliland.

The post Hargeisa Police Arrest Journalist Mohamed Andar appeared first on Kaab TV.

On Friday afternoon, Abdillahi was reporting on a demonstration in Mogadishu’s Yaqshid district. Residents had gathered to protest planned relocations and land grabbing in the area. Armed police attempted to disperse the protesters by opening fire, tragically killing two civilians, including a 20-year-old peaceful protester, according to media reports. The order to disperse and shoot the protesters is reported to have come from the Banadir Regional Police Commissioner, Mahdi Omar Mu’min, known as Macalin Mahdi.

Witnesses informed SJS that police beat and arrested Abdillahi while he was reporting on the demonstration. Omar Yusuf Mohamed, a colleague, managed to escape. Abdillahi was initially detained by police and then transferred to the Yaqshid District Station, where he remained in custody until Monday afternoon. His family was denied access to him. Abdillahi told SJS that on Saturday, 22 November, he was forcibly questioned by a police prosecutor without a lawyer present.

On Monday, 24 November, Abdillahi was brought before the Banadir Regional Court and charged with “organizing protesters” and “inciting the public.” He was later released due to a lack of evidence. During the court hearing, it became clear that Abdillahi had been specifically targeted because of his affiliation with Himilo Media.

Abdillahi further reported that Police Prosecutor Nouradin Mohamed Hussein (Jim’ale) confiscated his phone and demanded its password. The prosecutor allegedly expressed anger, stating repeatedly that Banadir Regional Police Chief Macalin Mahdi “hates journalists working at Himilo Media.”

Although Abdillahi was released, Himilo Media management informed SJS that their equipment—including digital cameras, microphones, tripods, and lighting—would not be returned. When staff attempted to retrieve the equipment late on Monday, they were told it had been ordered kept by Police Chief Maallin Mahdi.

A disturbing trend of targeting vulnerable groups has emerged recently. Various sources indicate that President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and his political and business associates are involved in exploiting public land sales, government property, and sometimes even private lands, often forcibly taking them from rightful owners. Journalists reporting on evictions are frequently targeted, while many local media outlets remain silent to avoid repercussions.

The incident on 21 November occurred on land in Yaqshid district that was originally government-owned and converted into a residential area in 1960. Many local residents possess ownership documents issued by the former Somali government. Local media, including Himilo TV, reported that businessmen and government officials were attempting to illegally occupy the land and evict the community.

“This arrest, the detention, and the baseless trial of our colleague Abdillahi Mohamed Ali (Sawey) of Himilo Media constitute an unacceptable attack on press freedom. Reporting forced relocations—an issue of public interest and human rights—is not a crime; it is a fundamental duty of journalists,” said SJS General Secretary Abdalle Muumin.

He added, “We demand that the Mogadishu Police and their leadership immediately stop this campaign against journalists. The abuse of government power to silence media outlets like Himilo TV, which expose corruption, must end. We also call for the immediate and unconditional return of all confiscated equipment held illegally by Police Chief Maallin Mahdi. Journalists will not remain silent in the face of illegal detention or seizure of their tools.”

Earlier, on 16 November, a group of journalists—including Abdillahi Mohamed Ali and Abdullahi Abd Qadir Ahmed of Himilo Media, freelancer Abrahman Mohamed Waberi, and Ali Hassan Guure, a cameraman from Risala Media, along with his colleague Hamda Ahmed Hassan—were stopped by National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA) officers while collecting vox-pop interviews about disputed elections in Somalia. The journalists were initially taken to a nearby police station but released before arrival. They reported that they were required to pay for the taxi used to reach the station, after which they were released.

The post SJS Condemns Repeated Attacks on Himilo Media appeared first on Kaab TV.

At around 6:00 p.m. local time on Monday, NISA officers stopped a tuktuk taxi in which journalist Omar Guux was travelling at a security checkpoint in the Walaalaha area of Dharkeenley district and demanded his identification. After he presented his journalist ID, the officers detained him and subjected him to verbal threats and harassment.

Omar told SJS that the armed NISA agents referred to his recent reporting for Himilo Somali TV, in which he covered sensitive stories including insecurity in Mogadishu, the forced evictions of vulnerable families in Mogadishu’s Siinaay, Dayniile and Hodan districts involving President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, as well as the ongoing forced voter registration process in Mogadishu.

Media outlets including Himilo Somali TV, where Omar Guux works, have repeatedly reported cases of citizens being abducted and registered without consent by the disputed electoral commission.

He was held at the same checkpoint for nearly an hour before being released.

“They briefly spoke on the phone with my media director and later told me I was under arrest,” Omar Guux told SJS. “After news of my arrest spread, they released me, though I had already been held at the checkpoint for nearly an hour.”

Himilo Somali TV has previously been subjected to repeated threats from NISA because of its critical reporting on security issues, forced evictions, abductions, and the controversial voter registration exercise in Mogadishu.

On 12 June 2025, armed NISA officers raided Himilo Somali TV’s studio and demanded the removal of an interview broadcast in which a young man described “being abducted and forced to register as a voter” in Mogadishu.

In November last year, NISA sent officers to arrest Himilo Somali TV editor Nuur Abdirahman following his reporting on business closures in Mogadishu due to Al-Shabaab threats. Nuur was forced into hiding.

Omar Guux, a prominent reporter from a minority community, fled with his family from Jowhar of Middle Shabelle to Mogadishu, where he continued his journalism career.  In early February this year, a government-affiliated clan militia in Lower Shabelle kidnapped Omar after he traveled to KM50 village to report on community complaints of militia raids and abductions in the region.

SJS condemns the continued targeting of journalists and media workers, including those working for Himilo Somali TV. We call on NISA to immediately end its campaign of threats, harassment, and intimidation against Mogadishu’s journalist community.

“It is deeply troubling that NISA is targeting journalists who report on human rights abuses such as forced evictions and the unlawful voter registration campaign in Mogadishu,” said Abdalle Mumin, SJS Secretary General. “By harassing and detaining Omar Yusuf Mohamed, NISA is not only attacking press freedom but also trying to silence reporting on grave violations against vulnerable communities. These actions are a blatant abuse of power and must stop immediately and those perpetrating it must be held to account.”

The post Local TV Reporter Stopped, Harassed and Detained at NISA Checkpoint in Mogadishu appeared first on Kaab TV.

On 22 July, the Puntland Intelligence and Security Agency (PISA) summoned Puntland-based online journalist Mohamud Nadif Shire after he published a series of news reports about Puntland’s ongoing counter-terrorism operation in Cal Miskaad. His reports included one telling soldiers opening fire on civilians in Garowe; complaints by the Puntland soldiers about lack of care; grievances from soldiers over unpaid dues, and coverage of the recent conflict in the Sanaag region involving Puntland maritime police force. These reports, which SJS reviewed, span from June to July of this year.

Shire, who runs a Facebook page with a following of 236,000, told SJS that he received a summoning order from PISA via phone call on 22 July. He was interrogated by PISA officers in Bosaso city on 24 July and instructed to report to the security agency’s office once every week. According to Mohamud, the questions he faced during the interrogation were intimidating and mainly focused on his reporting of security issues in the region.

On 30 July, SSC-Khaatumo authorities in Laascaanood briefly arrested freelance journalist Mohamed Muse Tarsan, who also reports for Somali National TV, after he conducted a live Facebook broadcast covering a protest by Warsangali clan delegates at the SSC-Khaatumo state formation conference in Laascaanood, which has since been renamed Northeast Somalia State.

Tarsan told SJS that he was held in detention for about eight hours before being released, and that those who arrested him wanted to suppress his “reporting and independent views” regarding the political developments in Laascaanood. The video, which was initially livestreamed on Tarsan’s Facebook, has since been deleted. The delegates reportedly protested against the number of parliamentary seats allocated to their clan in the new state assembly, as the federal government pushed for the completion of the new state which concluded on Sunday.

On 25 March, Puntland police in Galkayo, Mudug region, violently assaulted and arrested journalist Dalmar Isse Ahmed (popularly known as Dalmar Socdaal) after he published a video on his Facebook page on 13 March showing himself obtaining a national ID card issued by Somalia’s federal government in the southern part of Galkayo, which is under Galmudug administration. In the video, the journalist, who resides in Puntland-controlled North Galkayo, urged people to apply for the ID card.

Journalists present at the scene told SJS that during Dalmar’s arrest, the police fired heavy gunfire in a crowded area, putting many civilians at serious risk. Dalmar told SJS that he was held day and night in a small room near a Puntland police checkpoint on the outskirts of Galkayo before being released without trial or charges. He said that after the incident, he fled to Mogadishu out of fear for his safety.

Puntland authorities had warned its citizens against obtaining the federal government’s ID card calling it “politically-motivated”. Instead, Puntland announced that it would launch its own separate citizen identification card.

Puntland police in Galkayo declined to comment to SJS on why live ammunition was used and why the journalist was arrested.

“The arrest of Dalmar Isse Ahmed in Galkayo and the summoning and interrogation of Mohamud Nadif Shire in Bosaso are all meant to silence their reporting. We call on Puntland authorities not to use security or other pretexts to silence journalists while they are reporting on issues of public interest,” said SJS Secretary General, Abdalle Mumin.

“We are glad that Mohamed Muse Tarsan is free after a brief detention in Laascaanood. However, we call on authorities there to recognize that openness and transparency are the only ways to ensure effective administration, and that arresting journalists simply because you do not like what they report will not work at all,” added Mr. Mumin.

The post Somali journalists Report Harassment and Intimidation in Puntland and Laascaanood appeared first on Kaab TV.

SJS representatives and members of the Mogadishu media community had the opportunity to engage with Ambassador Charles King, who recently assumed his role as the new UK Ambassador to Somalia.

“Welcome to Somalia — where democracy does not work and where media freedom does not exist,” said SJS Secretary of Information and Human Rights, Mohamed Ibrahim Bulbul, in his opening remarks.

SJS expressed deep concern over the threats posed by both Al-Shabaab and the Somali Federal Government to press freedom, stressing the serious impact these threats have had on journalists.

“Journalists cannot operate in Al-Shabaab-controlled areas, while the Somali government has now adopted similar tactics to block media reporting. NISA officers are increasingly patrolling Maka al-Mukarama Road — the only road in Mogadishu where people once felt safe — and it is no longer safe now,” Bulbul added.

SJS also reported an increase in attacks in Somaliland. So far in 2025, SJS has documented over 80 cases of journalist arrests, restrictions, and other violations in Somalia and Somaliland.

A matter of particular concern raised by media directors during the meeting was that some Mogadishu media outlets “were bribed and coerced into signing agreements” that allegedly prohibited critical reporting on the disputed electoral body’s activities. These activities have included multiple reported incidents of kidnappings of vulnerable members of the local community and forced voter registration.

Similarly, forced evictions in Mogadishu are going largely unreported. Thousands of vulnerable families have been forcibly removed from their homes by armed government forces allegedly linked to President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud. Journalists are now saying the government has promised “plot of land and money” to bribe certain media owners in exchange for suppressing coverage of these forced evictions.

SJS underscored that the recent attacks on journalists, arbitrary arrests, restrictions on reporting forced evictions, and forced voter registration in Mogadishu constitute human rights violations. SJS stresses that perpetrators should be held accountable regardless of their position or the weapons they possess.

SJS further noted that some journalists face pressure from their own media owners, who themselves have been compromised.

The outdated Somali Penal Code and the so-called Counter-Terrorism Bill remain major tools used to suppress reporting on security issues — all while Al-Shabaab militant group has intensified its terror attacks in and around Mogadishu.

SJS Secretary General, Abdalle Mumin, welcomed the candid and constructive exchange between the UK Ambassador and the Somali media community as a valuable platform to address urgent press freedom concerns.

“This discussion was a rare opportunity for Somali journalists to speak directly and openly with an international partner about the daily realities we face. Press freedom in Somalia is under unprecedented pressure — from both armed groups and state institutions — and we need stronger international support to protect journalists, uphold the public’s right to know, and defend our democracy,” said SJS Secretary General, Abdalle Mumin.

Ambassador Charles King stated UK’s commitment to support free, safe, and independent journalism in Somalia.

“Powerful voices, empowering conversations. Today’s roundtable with Somali journalists shone a light on the progress and challenges in protecting #MediaFreedom. The UK proudly stands with Somalia press — free, safe, and independent journalism is vital for democracy,” Ambassador King posted on X (formerly Twitter).

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