Guardian journalist Mohamed Bulbul and two colleagues were arrested and beaten by Somali counter-terrorism police in Mogadishu on Friday evening, in what media outlets and MPs have condemned as an unlawful and politically motivated crackdown.
Details of the Arrest
Bulbul, along with journalists Abdihafid Nor Barre and Abdishakur Mohamed Mohamud, was detained while at a restaurant in the centre of the Somali capital. They reported being assaulted with pistols by members of Somalia’s US-trained counter-terrorism police unit before being taken for questioning. All three were released in the early hours of Saturday morning.
Context of the Crackdown
The arrests come as public anger grows against the ruling establishment, with the presidential term due to end on 15 May. Abdirahman Abdishakur, an MP and leader of the opposition Wadajir party, stated on X that the administration “appears consumed by fear, confusion as the end of its mandate approaches” and has intensified repression against journalists, activists, and young people instead of addressing forced displacement, land grabbing, and political settlement.
Link to Reporting on Torture Case
Bulbul’s detention is believed to be linked to his coverage of Sadia Moalim Ali, a 27-year-old rickshaw driver imprisoned for peaceful protest and social media activism. On Thursday, the Guardian published his story in which Ali described being stripped naked by male guards, kicked, beaten with a baton, and left for two days in a small cell without food. The article was widely shared across Somali media and social platforms.
Threats and Intimidation
The journalists had faced sustained threats in recent weeks. At police headquarters, Mogadishu police chief Mahdi Omar Mumin reportedly told them he was “tired of arresting journalists” and that if they continued reporting on protests and Ali’s case, the only option remaining would be “death”.
Condemnation and Wider Context
Somali Stream, the media organisation employing Mohamud, denounced the arrests as “an illegal and politically motivated attack on independent journalism”. This follows the arrest of at least five local journalists earlier in the week, with two others still detained and their whereabouts unknown. According to the World Press Freedom Index, Somalia ranks 126 out of 180 countries, and with over 50 media professionals killed since 2010, it remains one of the most dangerous countries for journalists in Africa. The Somali authorities have been approached for comment.
