MOGADISHU, Somalia 26 June 2026 – The Somali Journalists Syndicate (SJS) calls for the immediate and unconditional release of journalist Abdukadir Abukar Ali, known as Diirshe, who was kidnapped from the entrance of the Banadir Regional Court in Mogadishu on Thursday, 25 June 2026.
According to colleagues, journalist Diirshe was arriving at the court to report on the trial of Sadia Moalin Ali, a Somali women’s rights activist who was unjustly sentenced to three years in prison for her peaceful protest on Thursday, 25 June.
Armed police officers led by Officer Abdi Ali, a former Al-Shabaab member who later joined the Somali Police Force, allegedly kidnapped Diirshe and forced him into a waiting vehicle while blindfolded, eyewitnesses and colleagues told SJS.
Diirshe is active on Facebook, where he reports independently, and has also been partially working with the Somali Stream online platform in Mogadishu. An editor at Somali Stream told SJS that Diirshe had previously received threats from police in Mogadishu due to his critical reporting on insecurity, protests in Mogadishu, and the recent flooding disrupting movement in Mogadishu over the past weekend.
Prior to the day of his kidnapping, Diirshe posted a video clip on his Facebook page, which SJS has reviewed. In the video, he questioned the fairness of the hearing and the trial of Sadia Moalin Ali, who appeared before the Banadir Regional Court between 1 June and 23 June. Sadia had faced two charges: “disrespecting government institutions” under Article 269 of the Somali Penal Code, and “instigation to commit a crime” under Article 320. A third hearing scheduled for Sunday, 21 June 2026, was canceled without explanation.
The provisions used to charge Sadia have frequently been applied against journalists, activists, and government critics, and are widely criticized for their vague and overly broad wording, which is considered incompatible with Somalia’s international human rights obligations.
On Thursday afternoon, the commander of Mogadishu Police, Mahdi Omar Mumin, known as “Moalin Mahdi” and also a former Al-Shabaab defector, posted on Facebook a photo of Diirshe seemingly in police custody and stated that the Somali Police Force, particularly the Banadir Regional Police, had arrested the journalist.
He added that the journalist “is accused of insulting the country’s judicial institutions by publishing statements and allegations deemed to be outside legal and professional standards, and disseminating false information.”
On 1 June, journalists who were at the Banadir Regional Court to report on the trial of Sadia Moalin Ali were harassed, blocked, and told not to bring cameras or conduct interviews. Lawyers representing Sadia later spoke to the media at a different venue after their interviews were blocked.
Similarly, on 23 June, journalists from more than a dozen local media houses told SJS that they were blocked, and reporters were told not to bring cameras or take notes as the trial of Sadia Moalin Ali concluded. Lawyers stated that the Banadir Regional Court chairman, Salah Ali Mohamud, personally brought his cameraman and recorded the court proceedings. However, two defense lawyers told SJS that partially edited clips, with key parts omitted, were later posted on a Facebook page affiliated with the court.
“We condemn the abduction-style detention of journalist Abdukadir Abukar Ali, known as Diirshe, in Mogadishu. Reporting on matters of public interest and exposing unfair court proceedings is not a crime. We demand the immediate and unconditional release of our colleague,” said the SJS Secretary General, Abdalle Mumin.
“We also denounce the continued intimidation, harassment, and threats against journalists in Mogadishu, including those reporting on flooding, insecurity, and those critically examining state security crackdowns on dissenting voices. SJS calls for the immediate protection of journalists, full respect for press freedom, and an end to all forms of intimidation and arbitrary arrests targeting media workers,” Mr. Mumin added.