Somali Journalist Ibrahim Mohamed Mayow Detained Amid Rising Crackdown on Press Freedom

March 25, 2025 – Somalia – 

Press freedom in Somalia faces escalating threats, as journalists endure abductions and harassment by state forces. Notably, journalist Ibrahim Mohamed Mayow was abducted by Somali police on March 24, 2025, in Afgooye while reporting on an Al-Shabaab attack. Despite inquiries, his whereabouts remain unknown.

Simultaneously, Mohamed Ibrahim Bulbul, Secretary of Information and Human Rights for the Somali Journalists Syndicate (SJS), experienced a police raid on his residence on March 26. Officers questioned his family about his location and lingered outside for hours. This follows Bulbul’s investigative reporting on alleged police corruption and human rights abuses, which led to threats from authorities.

These incidents are part of a broader crackdown on media freedom in Somalia. On March 18, 2025, Somali police arrested 19 journalists covering an Al-Shabaab attack on the president’s convoy. The journalists were detained, their equipment confiscated, and footage deleted before release

The Somali Journalists Syndicate condemns these actions as violations of press freedom and human rights. The organization calls for the immediate release of Ibrahim Mohamed Mayow and an end to the harassment of journalists like Mohamed Ibrahim Bulbul. They urge Somali authorities to uphold the rights of journalists and cease actions that suppress independent reporting.

Reference – 

SJS and RFK Human Rights condemn the ban on reporting and attacks on journalists in Somalia

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

https://hornobserver.com/articles/3254/After-surviving-Al-Shabaab-attack-journalist-Ibrahim-Mayow-abducted-by-Somali-police