DRC Authorities Urged to Reinstate Radio Nsenda Muana and Release Arrested Reporters
August 5, 2025
Hamas Backs Calls for Foreign Journalists to Enter Gaza
August 5, 2025
August 5, 2025 – Somalia –
Three journalists working for SMS TV and Daash Somali TV were forcibly arrested in Mogadishu after reporting on alleged government-linked land seizures in the Siinaay Market area, according to media watchdogs and the Somali Journalists Syndicate. The incident unfolded outside SMS TV’s headquarters during an armed raid by officers from the Haramcad police unit, who reportedly arrived in vehicles mounted with machine guns.
The detained journalists are Mahad Mohamed Abdirahman of Daash Somali TV, and Hussein Isse Mohamed and Osman Abdullahi Mohamed from SMS TV. CCTV footage shared by the station shows uniformed officers confronting media staff as they returned from covering a protest linked to forced evictions.
According to SMS TV Director Hassan Adde, threats began almost immediately after the station aired its investigative report. Adde said the force used to detain the journalists appeared intended to suppress coverage. One reporter later located two of his colleagues at the Hamar Jajab District Prison, where they were held without charge alongside unrelated detainees. As of publication, none had seen a judge or been informed of legal grounds for their detention.
The Somali Journalists Syndicate publicly condemned the arrests, stating, “Targeting journalists for exposing misconduct is a clear violation of their rights and undermines democratic accountability.”
This incident comes amid a broader crackdown on independent journalists in Somalia. Local and international watchdogs report that since mid‑March 2025, at least 41 media workers have experienced arrest, harassment, or injury during coverage of protests, government operations, and reports on security threats. The overwhelming majority of violations are said to involve police or security forces targeting journalists reporting on government and civil unrest.
Somalia remains one of the most perilous environments globally for press freedom, with journalists frequently subjected to intimidation when covering sensitive subjects. The raid and arrests at SMS TV headquarters highlight renewed efforts to suppress critical journalism, particularly when it exposes politically connected wrongdoing.
The Somali Police Force and the Ministry of Information have not issued official statements about the arrests or specific accusations against the detained journalists.
References –
