Police in Somaliland have arrested three journalists over a 10-day period in October, sparking concerns about restrictions on independent reporting in the territory. The arrests were documented by the Somali Journalists Syndicate (SJS) between October 19 and 28 in Hargeisa, Burao, and Berbera. The SJS reported that two journalists were subsequently released, while Abdirahman Mohamed Ege of Horn Cable TV remained in custody without charge.
Abdirahman Mohamed Ege was detained on October 22 after responding to a summons from the Criminal Investigation Department in Hargeisa. According to the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), Ege was questioned about an October 15 interview with Somali presidential aspirant Abdiqadir Sharay. Horn Cable TV deputy chairperson Abdikarim Saed Salah visited Ege in custody and reported that investigators had focused on the interview.
In Burao, MM TV journalist Abdiwahid Mohamed Osman, also known as Beeldaaje, was arrested on October 28 after interviewing community elders about fighting in Ethiopia's Moyale area. Osman told the SJS that he was released without charge the same day. The SJS also documented the arrest of Abdihakim Mohamud Mohamed, known as Xoogsade, in Berbera on October 19.
Mohamed said police arrested him after he published footage showing armed men expressing grievances about the Laasgeel construction project. He was released on October 20 but subsequently went into hiding, according to the SJS. The syndicate's account did not establish whether formal charges had been brought against Mohamed before his release.
The SJS findings and CPJ's separate report describe arrests following journalistic activity, although neither account establishes a publicly stated legal basis for all three detentions. The reports also leave questions about the authorities' justification for the arrests and whether any further proceedings were planned.
The SJS called for Ege's release and an end to restrictions on journalists. As of the syndicate's October 30 report, Ege's detention remained unresolved, with no charges reported and no public response from the authorities documented. The CPJ said it had contacted Somaliland's information ministry and presidency seeking comment but had received no response.
The arrests have raised concerns about the environment for independent reporting in Somaliland. The SJS and CPJ have highlighted the need for greater transparency and accountability in the treatment of journalists. Key issues remain the detention of Ege and the justification for the arrests, which have not been publicly explained by the authorities.
Key points
- - Three journalists were arrested in Somaliland in 10 days, including a Horn Cable TV reporter detained without charge. - The arrests were linked to reporting on politically sensitive subjects, including an interview with a Somali presidential aspirant and community grievances. - Press groups have called for the release of the detained journalist and an end to restrictions on independent reporting.
