Following the May 2026 passage of a new constitution to extend the office terms of the President and Parliament in Somalia, scheduled peaceful protests have been marred by state-sponsored violence. Layered upon existing state repression of civic space and press freedoms and a deteriorating security situation, the current state of affairs could not be more dire.

On May 8, 2026, journalist and SJS Human Rights Secretary Mohamed Bulbul was abducted, beaten, and threatened by Somali National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA) and Mobile Vehicle Checkpoint Unit officers alongside two other journalists, Abdihafid Nor Barre and Abdishakur Mohamed Mahomud.

Prior to the raid, the journalists had received threats for their reporting on the planned opposition protests in Mogadishu. While in detention, Bulbul was interrogated about an article he co-authored on the case of Saadia Moalin Ali, a nursing graduate and rickshaw driver arrested and detained for her activism on social media. Following this initial interrogation, the men were transferred to the Banadir Regional Police Command and threatened with death if they continued to report on the planned opposition protests. The journalists were released just before midnight on the same day.

Despite being released, Mohamed Bulbul has continued to face repression and intimidation, ultimately forcing him to flee Somalia. The NISA officer who abducted Bulbul on May 8 has repeatedly sent Bulbul threatening messages via WhatsApp, including for allegedly “crossing a red line” for posting photos of the officer as part of Bulbul’s reporting on the agency’s repression of journalists and opposition figures.

Much of the harassment against Bulbul is linked to his journalism, his involvement with SJS, and his connection to SJS Secretary General Abdalle Mumin. Notably, Bulbul was previously arrested in August 2023 for publishing a report on allegations of corruption within the police and was beaten and held incommunicado by authorities before being released in October 2023.

Mohamed Bulbul’s story reflects a growing level of press repression in Somalia. On June 1, 2026, authorities blocked and harassed journalists who were at the Banadir Regional Court to cover the trial of Sadia Moalin Ali and prevented them from using cameras or conducting interviews.

On June 23, 2026, authorities again blocked and harassed local media houses covering the trial. Most recently, on June 25, 2026, journalist Abdukadir Abukar Ali was abducted by armed Somali police officers from the Banadir Regional Court for reporting on Ali’s trial.

Reporters covering security issues and recent protests have also been met with arrests and harassment. On June 26, armed police officers arrested Mohamed Ali Mohamud, also known as Qadaaye, in Mogadishu without a legal justification for covering the story of a police officer who complained that his salary had been cut by senior officers. Following his arrest, Qadaaye was taken to Kaaran Police Station and beaten, and authorities refused to let his family visit him in detention. Qadaaye was released on June 28 without charge, but continues to face threats. On May 25, journalist Abdirahman Jakataa was arrested for reporting on women who were allegedly robbed by security forces in Baidoa, south-west Somalia.

“One of the most fundamental elements of democracy is people’s right to participate in their own governance through free speech and peaceful protest,” said Ikechukwu Uzoma, Senior Staff Attorney for Africa at KHRC. “Repressing these rights, especially following the adoption of a new constitution, is an affront to people-centric leadership and is therefore condemnable.”

SJS and KHRC urge Somali authorities to immediately cease their attacks on journalists and to uphold the freedoms of expression and assembly for all citizens, including members of the opposition.

Last week, SJS Secretary General Abdalle Mumin addressed an expert webinar hosted by the International Press Institute (IPI), of which SJS is a member, on “Risks and Threats to Africa’s Environmental and Climate Reporters.” The discussion brought together media freedom advocates and journalists to examine the latest monitoring findings on attacks against environmental journalists across Africa and explore strategies to strengthen their protection.

Speaking during the webinar, Mumin said climate reporting in Somalia extends far beyond environmental issues.

“Climate change reporting is not just about telling stories—it is about saving lives and providing communities with timely, reliable information that helps them make informed decisions,” Abdalle Mumin said.

He stressed that recurrent droughts, devastating floods, environmental degradation, and increasingly unpredictable rainfall continue to threaten livelihoods, food security, and stability across Somalia.

“This underscores the urgent need for informed, professional climate journalism that strengthens public understanding, promotes accountability, and supports evidence-based policymaking,” Mr. Mumin added.

On the sidelines of the discussion, IPI released a new report documenting attacks against environmental and climate journalists across Africa. The report recorded five attacks against environmental and climate journalists in Somalia between March and September 2025—the second-highest number among all African countries covered during the monitoring period.

According to the report, Somali journalists reporting on land rights, environmental degradation, and forced evictions are particularly vulnerable to threats, arbitrary arrests, detention, and judicial harassment.

Among the cases documented were the detention in June 2025 of Mohamed Abdul Aziz of Radio Galkayo and Ahmed Abdiqani Yusuf in Puntland while covering a community protest demanding improved sewage and sanitation infrastructure following flood damage. In another case in August 2025, Osman Abdullahi Mohamed and Hussein Isse Mohamed of SMS Somali TV, together with freelance journalist Mahad Mohamed Abdirahman, were detained while reporting on a forced eviction in Mogadishu involving public land allegedly sold to a powerful businessperson.

These attacks reflect Somalia’s wider media freedom crisis, characterised by prolonged conflict, widespread insecurity, endemic corruption, and entrenched impunity for violations against journalists. Criminal provisions in Somalia’s media and penal laws continue to be used to suppress public-interest reporting, including through criminal defamation, false news, and insult offences that expose journalists to imprisonment for carrying out their professional duties.

Addressing the webinar, SJS Secretary General, Abdalle Mumin said the reality facing journalists covering climate change in Somalia mirrors the hardships experienced by the communities they report on.

“The reality for journalists covering climate change in Somalia—and for the communities living through its impacts—is one of overlapping crises,” he said. “Climate reporting is not simply about weather or the environment; it intersects with conflict, displacement, poverty, governance failures, humanitarian emergencies, and restrictions on press freedom.”

Somalia currently hosts approximately four million people—around one-fifth of its population—living in refugee or internally displaced persons (IDP) camps. Human-induced climate change made the devastating 2022–2023 drought around 100 times more likely, contributing to an estimated 43,000 excess deaths.

In its most recent report, the United Nations has confirmed “a real and credible risk of famine in Buurhakaba district” in South West State, while warning that other towns in the region are also being affected by the worsening humanitarian crisis. Additionally Baidoa remains as a contested area as the conflict between the federal government-backed administration in Baidoa and forces loyal to the former South West State leader, Abdiaziz Laftagareen, has exposed local journalists to threats, arrests and intimidation.

Somali journalists face severe resource constraints

SJS noted that journalists in Somalia and Somaliland often report from the frontlines of environmental disasters while facing many of the same hardships as the communities they cover. Many experience displacement, damaged homes, food insecurity, and financial hardship themselves. Reporting from climate-affected areas also exposes journalists to security threats from armed groups, criminal actors, and political retaliation, particularly when reporting touches on corruption, land disputes, environmental exploitation, or the misuse of humanitarian assistance.

In addition to physical risks, Somali journalists face severe resource constraints, including limited access to safety equipment, transportation, specialised climate reporting training, insurance, and psychosocial support.

The cumulative impact of repeatedly documenting hunger, displacement, disease outbreaks, and environmental destruction also places significant mental health burdens on reporters.

For affected communities, climate change has become a driver of repeated displacement, loss of livelihoods, food insecurity, water scarcity, disease outbreaks, disrupted education, and increased risks for women and girls, while competition over diminishing natural resources continues to fuel local tensions and conflict.

“The connection between these realities is direct,” Mr. Mumin said. “Journalists are often documenting communities experiencing the very hardships they themselves endure. Effective climate reporting therefore requires not only an understanding of environmental issues but also the ability to report on humanitarian needs, conflict, governance, human rights, and accountability.”

Over the past two years, with support from Medico International, SJS has established a network of local journalists reporting on the experiences of communities affected by climate shocks across Somalia. Building on that work, SJS has launched a new climate journalism training programme designed to strengthen journalists’ knowledge of climate change and climate justice, improve their safety, and enhance their capacity to produce accurate, ethical, and impactful reporting.

The initiative forms part of SJS’s broader efforts to strengthen journalists’ resilience, promote freedom of expression, and improve protection mechanisms for media workers, while contributing to the global pursuit of climate justice by ensuring that vulnerable communities can tell their stories through independent journalism.

On Thursday, 2 July, Puntland police officers arrested Garowe-based journalist Suways Jama Mohamud, widely known as Suways Gacayte, in Garowe, the capital of Somalia’s Puntland State. She was transferred later that day to Garowe Central Prison, according to her family and colleagues.

Colleagues told SJS that police officers had waited outside Suways’ home before arresting her as she left her residence on Thursday.

Sources told SJS that local officials ordered her arrest over her critical social media posts “after complaints were made” against her. The officials responsible for ordering the arrest have not yet been identified, as sources said the case may be brought before a court.

Suways is the founder and journalist of Suways Media, an online media platform popular on Facebook and YouTube, known for its street interviews that often feature public criticism of local officials in Puntland. On 29 June, Suways Media published a video clip titled that residents in Garowe were “concerned about the presence of a militia group” led by an officer allegedly linked to Somalia’s Federal Government. In another post published the same day, Suways Media stated that the neighbourhood where concerns had been raised “remained calm and that no families had fled the area”.

On Saturday, 4 July, a group of journalists who visited Suways in prison confirmed to SJS that she remained in detention.

Suways, who has also worked for the state-owned Puntland TV, has faced years of harassment, intimidation, and pressure, primarily from Puntland police. On 5 March 2024, she was briefly detained, physically assaulted by a police officer, and her vehicle was damaged after officers stopped her while she was driving home from work. She subsequently filed a complaint against the officers involved. However, the Puntland Military Court, which has jurisdiction over offences committed by security personnel, declined to investigate the case, claiming that doing so would damage the reputation of the police.

In September 2025, Suways and fellow journalist Hassan Abdi Ali (Hassan Heykal) were summoned by the Puntland Attorney General’s Office over their reporting on politically sensitive issues, including governance, human rights, and political criticism. The case was later dropped without either journalist being charged. Following the summons, Suways told SJS that the Puntland Ministry of Information dismissed her from her position at Puntland TV in retaliation for her independent reporting. Members of the Puntland Parliament subsequently raised the matter before the relevant parliamentary subcommittee, after which she was reinstated to her position at the state broadcaster.

SJS strongly condemns the arbitrary arrest and continued detention of Suways and calls for her immediate and unconditional release. Since 2021, Suways has been among dozens of women journalists trained and mentored by SJS through its initiatives aimed at strengthening women’s leadership in the media. Throughout her career, she has demonstrated professionalism, independence, and commitment to public-interest journalism despite repeated intimidation and reprisals.

“We condemn the arrest of Suways Jama Mohamud in Garowe on Thursday as she is still in detention without court order,” said SJS Secretary General, Abdalle Mumin.

“We call on the Puntland authorities to immediately release Suways, respect her right to freedom of expression, and end the persistent pattern of harassment, intimidation, and arbitrary detention of journalists. The authorities must ensure that journalists are able to carry out their work freely and safely—even when their reporting involves criticism of state authorities or security officials—without fear of retaliation for reporting on matters of public interest,” Mr. Mumin added.

Shortly before midnight on Tuesday, 30 June 2026, Mascuud Warsame, the founder of the Mogadishu-based online media platform Xogbile, was abducted by armed NISA officers outside his office on Maka Al-Mukarama Road in Mogadishu. The officers  who drove unmarked car took him to an undisclosed location, according to family and colleagues, who spoke to SJS. He was not seen since then and his phone remains off.

On the morning of Wednesday, 1 July, Mascuud’s wife went to the Hodan District Police Station to inquire about his whereabouts but was told that he was not being held there. On Thursday, a security source told SJS that Mascuud was being held at a NISA detention facility at an undisclosed location. The source did not provide any explanation as to why the journalist had been taken.

NISA officials in Mogadishu did not respond to SJS’s requests for information at the time.

Mascuud’s colleagues told SJS that they did not know why he had been abducted by NISA. His family also said they had received no communication regarding his detention and remained unaware of his whereabouts as of Thursday evening.

A second colleague told SJS that several days before the abduction, Mascuud received a phone call from Salah Abdi Nur, commonly known as Moalin Salah, a NISA officer responsible for Southwest State and a former Al-Shabaab defector. According to the colleague, Moalin Salah accused Mascuud “of being critical of Southwest State’s new leadership” and alleged that he might have had “knowledge” of the recent removal of content from the official Facebook page of the Southwest State presidency.

On 30 June, as some local media reported, the Facebook page associated with Southwest State presidency had displayed content affiliated with the ousted Southwest State President Abdiaziz Hassan Mohamed “Laftagareen”, including a message congratulating Somalis on Independence Day, observed on 1 July, as well as a video featuring the former Southwest State government spokesperson.

It remains unclear who accessed the Facebook page or how the content was removed.

Colleagues said Mascuud has no affiliation with rival political groups in Baidoa and believe he was targeted solely because he comes originally from Baidoa.

Xogbile is a Mogadishu-based media platform best known for its social debate programmes and street vox-pop interviews, many of which focus on political issues. Mascuud is originally from Baidoa in Southwest State, where tensions remain high following repeated clashes between forces aligned with the Somalia Federal Government-backed administration of the new Southwest State leader, Adan Mohamed Nur Madobe, and forces loyal to the ousted former president Laftagareen.

Late on Thursday 2 July, an SJS security contact said the Southwest State leadership in Baidoa was “involved” in Mascuud’s “detention”. The source added that NISA in Mogadishu had received “a request to hand over” the journalist to the authorities in Baidoa without giving further details.

SJS demands that NISA immediately disclose the whereabouts of Mascuud Warsame and allow his family and legal representatives to see him, and ensure his safety and well-being at all times. We also demand that he should be released unless the authorities can present credible evidence of wrongdoing and bring formal charges in accordance with the law.

“The abduction of journalist Mascuud Warsame by NISA is an outrageous attack on press freedom and a blatant violation of his fundamental rights. We utterly condemn holding him incommunicado without legal justification, which raises serious concerns about his safety and well-being,” said the SJS Secretary General, Abdalle Mumin.

“We call on NISA to release Mascuud immediately and unconditionally, disclose his whereabouts without further delay, and ensure that he is safe and free from any form of abuse while in custody. He must be released unless there is credible evidence of wrongdoing,” added Mr. Mumin. “We are also concerned about the threats and intimidation against Mascuud’s colleagues at Xogbile Media carrying out their professional duties in Somalia. This must stop.”

On Friday, 26 June 2026, four armed Somali police officers arrested journalist Mohamed Ali Mohamud, known as Qadaaye, a local reporter for the online platform Iftiimiye TV in Mogadishu, after he reported on a police officer who complained that his “salary had been cut by senior officers”.

Qadaaye told SJS that he was arrested near his residence in Kaaraan district and taken to Kaaraan Police Station. He said he was beaten during his arrest and again while in detention. On Saturday, when his mother and other family members visited the station, they were denied access to see him. Qadaaye told SJS that, prior to his arrest, he had received threats from police officers who warned him to stop reporting on the complaints of the police officer whose salary had been suspended.

On 15 June 2026, Qadaaye told SJS that he had interviewed a Somali police officer who said his salary had been unjustly suspended and his position taken over by another officer. As a result, he had begun “working as a construction labourer” to provide food for his wife and two daughters. The officer said he belongs to the minority Bantu community. Days later, the officer was “arrested alongside his daughters“. The officer’s wife also gave an interview to Iftiimiye TV in which she spoke about the arrests of her husband and daughters, although they were subsequently released.

On 28 June, Qadaaye was released from police detention without charge, a police officer at Kaaraan Police Station told SJS. Qadaaye said he was freed after relatives intervened, but he continues to face threats and pressure aimed at stopping his critical reporting on the police.

Journalists in Mogadishu have reported that critical reporting on the police and other security forces frequently leads to intimidation, arrests, and censorship. As a result, many local media outlets now avoid such reporting out of concern for their safety.

On 14 June 2026, Puntland police in Qardho arrested online journalist Mohamed Abdinasir Hussein, known as Nagashe, who is based in Qardho. Nagashe, who previously worked for Puntland State TV and other regional media outlets, told SJS that his arrest followed his reporting on insecurity in Qardho, where local business owners said they had begun “closing their shops early in the evening out of fear of youth gangs” that attack businesses at night.

The report was published on 8 June on Mohamed Nagashe’s Facebook page, which has around 29,000 followers. Nagashe told SJS that he was arrested while having morning coffee at a local café when four officers—some wearing police uniforms—approached and detained him. He said they drove him to Qardho Police Station, where he was booked before being transferred to the main prison, where he remained until his release on 18 June.

A colleague and local media rights advocate told SJS that Mohamed Nagashe’s release was brokered by clan elders after they guaranteed that he would refrain from reporting on insecurity in Qardho. Nagashe told SJS that his reporting had angered the Qardho District Mayor, who he said had ordered his arrest. The Qardho District Mayor did not respond to SJS’s requests for comment.

SJS urges both police officials and the Qardho district authorities to uphold Somalia’s constitutional and international obligations to protect freedom of expression and ensure that journalists can carry out their work safely and without interference.

“While we are pleased that both Mohamed Ali Mohamud and Mohamed Abdinasir Hussein have been released without any charges, we are dismayed that they were arrested simply for carrying out their journalistic duty, which is not a crime to begin with. We call on the Somali Police in Mogadishu and the Puntland authorities in Qardho to stop any further arrests or pressure on these journalists into silence in exchange for their freedoms,” said SJS Secretary General, Abdalle Mumin.

“We also expresses serious concern over increasing efforts to censor journalists through threats and intimidation, creating a climate of fear that discourages media professionals from reporting on security, police conduct, and other issues of public importance. Such actions undermine press freedom, deny the public access to vital information, and violate journalists’ right to report freely without fear of reprisals,” added Mr. Mumin.

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.

At approximately 2:00 a.m. on 9 June 2026, armed police officers led by Sool Regional Police Commander Khadar Mohamed Farah raided the homes of Mukhtar Abdi Jama, a local reporter and head of a local journalists’ association in Las Anod, and Abdiqani Abdirahman Mohamed, an online journalist based in Las Anod. Both journalists have faced intimidation and threats in recent weeks.

Mukhtar and Abdiqani told SJS that armed police officers forcibly entered their homes terrorizing their families. Abdiqani was taken to a nearby police station, where he was questioned about his alleged involvement in interviews conducted with families of prisoners held in Somaliland jails. After approximately one hour of questioning, he was released and allowed to return home. Mukhtar was not arrested during the raid but described the incident as an act of intimidation.

The raids followed the announcement on 8 June 2026, by local journalist Abdalle Qaalib of the release of a video documentary featuring the testimonies of seven families in Las Anod who claimed that their relatives were among those detained in Somaliland prisons. According to the families, some of the detainees “were captured” during the deadly conflict between SSC-Khaatumo forces and Somaliland forces in 2023, while others were civilians allegedly arrested because of their identity.

On 9 June, Abdalle Qaalib published the documentary on his personal Facebook page, which highlighted complaints from the affected families. The families accused authorities in Las Anod of “neglecting the plight of prisoners” held in Somaliland and called for urgent efforts to “secure their release without condition”.

Following the publication of the documentary, Abdalle Qaalib reported receiving threats from police officers, forcing him into hiding. In a statement published on 10 June, Qaalib said he had taken up the issue because two of his “cousins” were among approximately 108 prisoners reportedly being held in various prisons in Somaliland.

Days later, a Somaliland-based media aired interviews with a group of women in Hargeisa who said they were the wives and family members of prisoners held in Las Anod prison. These families similarly appealed for the release of their loved ones.

Tensions in Las Anod escalated in late 2022 following a series of unresolved assassinations targeting local political and community leaders. Protests against the Somaliland administration were met with a deadly security crackdown triggering direct armed confrontations between Somaliland forces and local SSC-Khaatumo fighters. The conflict was marked by intense fighting and indiscriminate shelling, resulting in hundreds of deaths, injuries, and the displacement of more than 200,000 civilians, as documented by the rights group Amnesty International. By August 2023, SSC-Khaatumo forces had established full control over Las Anod. During and after the conflict, both sides captured individuals whom they accused of participating in hostilities.

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), which has visited detainees held by both parties, estimates that hundreds of prisoners remain in detention. A limited prisoner exchange took place in April 2025.

Media outlets in both Somaliland and Las Anod have repeatedly reported on the appeals of families seeking information about and freedom for their detained relatives in recent months.

“We are extremely concerned that authorities in Las Anod are using intimidation, threats, arbitrary detention, and harassment for carrying out their professional duties of reporting issues of public concern.  We remind Las Anod police and the Northeastern State officials that reporting on matters of public interest, including the concerns of families affected by conflict and detention, is a legitimate journalistic activity protected under international standards on freedom of expression,” said SJS Secretary General, Abdalle Mumin.

“SJS calls on police officers in Las Anod and government authorities to end the harassment that is particularly targeting journalists reporting on the issue of prisoners and their families. The local authorities can seek better solutions to address the matter rather than silencing journalists who are conveying what the families are saying,” added Mr. Mumin.

Environmental journalism remains one of the most underreported areas in Somalia and Somaliland, despite the Horn of African region facing one of the world’s most severe climate and environmental crises. Journalists covering environmental issues frequently encounter intimidation, restricted access to information, lack of safety mechanisms, and inadequate resources to conduct field reporting.

To contribute to addressing this reporting gap, SJS, with support from Medico International, trained and mentored ten journalists from ten different regions and towns across Somalia and Somaliland, particularly from areas heavily affected by climate change. Through this initiative, journalists were equipped with skills and support to investigate and report on climate-related challenges affecting vulnerable communities across the country.

The 2026 World Environment Day theme, “Protected Environment, Stable Climate, and a Greener Future,” resonates strongly in Somalia and Somaliland, where recurring droughts, deforestation, erratic rainfall patterns, floods, environmental degradation, and conflict continue to threaten livelihoods and displace communities. Millions of Somalis remain vulnerable to the impacts of climate change.

Not Only Storytellers: Journalists in Somalia and Somaliland have become survivors of the climate crisis

Since beginning of January 2026, SJS documented several incidents involving journalists reporting on environmental and humanitarian issues.

In Mogadishu, Somali police continued their crackdown on journalists covering forced evictions in the capital. According to data collected by eviction monitoring groups, 195,164 people were affected by forced evictions in 2025, many of which were carried out without prior notice and involved violence by police and other state security forces. The number of forced evictions in Somalia increased by more than 20 percent between January and May 2026, according to the humanitarian groups. SJS documented the arrests of seven journalists (four women and three men) between February and April 2026 solely for reporting on these evictions.

On 4 March 2026, Somaliland police in Erigabo, Sanaag region, arrested local journalist Mohamed Saleban Ahmed, known as Suute, after he published a report highlighting drought conditions in the Sool and Sanaag regions. Suute was detained for two days before being released without charge and was subsequently charged with “spreading false information.” The Erigabo District Court later summoned him to appear in court. According to court documents reviewed by SJS, the Somaliland government was listed as the complainant. Suute’s report included testimonies from drought-affected rural communities who stated that they had not received humanitarian assistance despite severe hardship.

The prosecution occurred despite Somaliland’s own acknowledgement of the drought crisis. In July 2025, Somaliland declared a national emergency due to drought affecting four regions, including Sanaag. President Abdirahman Abdillahi Irro appealed to international partners and Somaliland diaspora worldwide to support emergency relief efforts. United Nations humanitarian assessments later reported that “more than 650,000 people had been affected by drought across Somaliland,” while aid agencies estimated that over 80 percent of rural households had experienced severe water shortages and agricultural losses.

Similarly, on 26 May 2026, South West State police in Baidoa arrested local journalist Abdirahman Hassan Mohamed after he interviewed women khat traders who alleged that federal government security forces had looted their goods and mobile phones during an operation in the city.  Journalists in Baidoa also reported increasing threats and intimidation while covering political tensions and armed confrontations between forces aligned with the Federal Government and those loyal to former South West State leader Abdiaziz Laftagareen. Armed clashes erupted in Baidoa on 30 May 2026, causing casualties and further worsening humanitarian conditions in the region.

At the same time, humanitarian agencies have warned of “a growing risk of famine” in parts of South West State, particularly Buurhakaba district, where prolonged drought and conflict continue to affect communities.

On 28 May 2026, police in Las Anod arrested journalist Khadar Tarabi following a Facebook post regarding a visit by a Puntland minister to Kalabaydh in the Sool region, an area affected by both climate-related challenges and ongoing security tensions. Journalists in Las Anod informed SJS that media workers have faced restrictions and intimidation when attempting to independently report on local conflicts and humanitarian concerns.

In late May 2026, armed clashes between clan militias in a rural area of the Sool region resulted in deaths, the destruction of homes, and the displacement of civilians following a dispute over a new settlement in a rural village. Journalists reported difficulties accessing affected communities and significant obstacles to independent reporting, limiting public access to information about the humanitarian impact of the violence.

Across Somalia, humanitarian response efforts remain severely underfunded. Global economic pressures, rising food and fuel prices, and restrictions on humanitarian access in Al-Shabaab-controlled areas have further complicated relief operations. Civilians from inaccessible regions continue to move toward government-controlled towns in search of assistance and protection.

SJS Climate Journalists Network reported that widespread crop failures and livestock deaths in Jubaland, have deepened food insecurity and undermined livelihoods. In early January, Jubaland State announced that severe drought conditions have displaced thousands of families and left an estimated 1.5 million people in need of urgent humanitarian assistance.

In Afmadow district, near Somalia’s border with Kenya, journalists witnessed thousands of newly displaced families have sought shelter in makeshift settlements after losing livestock and livelihoods due to prolonged drought and failed rains.

SJS notes that journalists are not only documenting the impacts of climate change; many are directly affected by the crisis themselves.

In Baidoa, Southwest State, where internally displaced persons constitute approximately two-thirds of the city’s population, many journalists supported by SJS come from displaced families or households affected by drought and food insecurity. Similar situations exist across Gedo and other parts of Jubaland.

In Beledweyne and Jowhar, Hirshabelle State, many journalists have experienced the direct consequences of repeated flooding, with family members displaced and livelihoods disrupted.

“in many parts of Somalia and somaliland, Women journalists face particular vulnerabilities, especially those serving as primary income earners for their households. The economic and social pressures created by climate-related disasters have disproportionately affected women media workers and their families,” — said SJS Secretary General, Abdalle Mumin.

Recognizing these realities, SJS has gone beyond providing professional training. In addition to mentoring environmental journalists, SJS has provided direct support and emergency assistance to journalists facing urgent humanitarian needs, enabling them to continue their important work while navigating the impacts of climate change on their own lives and communities.

On World Environment Day 2026, SJS reaffirms its commitment to promoting environmental journalism and supporting journalists reporting on climate change and humanitarian crises. SJS urges authorities in Somalia and Somaliland, in particular, to protect journalists, end harassment and arbitrary arrests, and ensure access to information that serves the public interest.

“Somali journalists play a vital role in exposing the impacts of climate change, but many are also among those affected by droughts, floods, displacement, and economic hardship. As both witnesses and survivors of the climate crisis, they deserve greater protection and support to continue their essential work,”  — Mr. Mumin added.

On 26 May 2026, South West State police in Baidoa arrested local journalist Abdirahman Hassan Mohamed, one day after he interviewed women khat sellers who complained about an armed robbery allegedly carried out by Somali federal government forces deployed in the city. The interviews were published on Gacal Media, a Facebook-based media platform where Abdirahman works.

Abdirahman told SJS that on Monday, 25 May, he was in central Baidoa when federal government forces opened fire in the city market and allegedly looted khat (miraa) and mobile phones. Several women traders later spoke to the journalist, describing the incident as a robbery and calling on federal authorities to intervene and provide justice.

According to Abdirahman, the following day he was summoned to the Baidoa police station. Upon responding to the summons, he was informed by the head of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), Dahir Hassan Omar, that he was being arrested for publishing the women’s complaints. Abdirahman said he was told that his arrest “had been ordered by the Bay Regional Police Commander, Sadiq Doodishe.

He remained in police custody without charge until Thursday, 28 May, when he was released.

Baidoa police officials have not yet commented on the journalist’s arrest.

Local journalists told SJS that armed robberies have become an increasingly common problem in Baidoa in recent months, prompting affected residents to speak out through the media despite efforts by local authorities to discourage coverage of the incidents.

Journalists also told SJS that reporting on the conflict between the federal government-backed administration in Baidoa and forces loyal to the former South West State leader, Abdiaziz Laftagareen, has exposed them to threats and intimidation. On Saturday, 30 May, armed clashes erupted in Baidoa between the two sides, resulting in casualties. Civilians have been caught in the middle of the conflict, while the humanitarian situation in the region remains a serious concern.

In its most recent report, the United Nations has confirmed “a real and credible risk of famine in Buurhakaba district” in South West State, while warning that other towns in the region are also being affected by the worsening humanitarian crisis.

“Instead of addressing the reported armed robbery, police in Baidoa decided to arrest the journalist who broke the story. This signals the increasing pressure faced by the journalist community in South West State which is unfortunate,” said SJS Secretary General, Abdalle Mumin “We urge South West State authorities to refrain from using police to intimidate journalists. Police should guarantee the safety and independence of media workers, as well as that of the local population—including women, who are often caught in the midst of this endless conflict—and to ensure that journalists can freely report on community complaints without fear of arrest, harassment, or retaliation.”

On Thursday, 28 May 2026, police in the Northeastern Regional Administration in Las Anod unlawfully arrested journalist Khadar Tarabi, following a Facebook post about a visit by a Puntland minister to Kalabaydh town in the Sool region.

According to journalists and family members, Khadar was in Kalabaydh town for the Eid holidays. During his stay, Puntland’s Minister of Justice, Constitution, Religious Affairs and Reconciliation, Hon. Abdirashid Barkhadle Warsame, visited the town.

On Thursday, Khadar Tarabi posted on his Facebook page information about the minister’s visit, stating that the minister “had travelled to Kalabaydh District in the Sool region, where he celebrated Eid with the local community and held meetings with elders, intellectuals, religious scholars, and youth representatives.”  The post added that “the minister reportedly encouraged residents to protect the environment, promote peace, and work collectively towards the district’s development and self-sufficiency.”

A colleague in Las Anod told SJS that Khadar was arrested in Kalabaydh on Thursday afternoon and taken to Las Anod, where he is currently being held without charge.

SJS has seen a photograph shared by Las Anod police showing the journalist handcuffed while in police custody.

In a statement, the police said they had “arrested Khadar Mohamed Tarabi in Kalabaydh district following a planned operation led by the Commander of Police Operations, Lt. Col. Abdirahman Mohamed Sirad.”

The police added that “Khadar is accused of involvement in activities that undermined security and disrupted public order in Kalabaydh district, posing a threat to the safety and stability of the local community.”

Since its formation in August 2025, the Northeastern State has faced opposition from both Puntland and Somaliland. Puntland officials have repeatedly stated that they do not recognize the Las Anod-based administration as a federal member state, despite its recognition by the Federal Government of Somalia. Somaliland authorities, meanwhile, continue to insist the area as part of their territory.

Officials from Puntland have repeatedly visited parts of the Sool and Sanaag regions, areas claimed by the Northeastern administration. Journalists reporting on these political disputes have frequently faced harassment, intimidation, and arrest.

Meanwhile, clashes erupted this week in a rural village in the Sool region between two clan militias over the settlement of a grazing area claimed by both communities. The fighting resulted in the deaths of two people, while militias burned houses built in the village of Madax Lagu Xoor, approximately 100 kilometers from Las Anod. Journalists in Las Anod told SJS that they have been prevented from independently reporting on the conflict and tensions in the area.

SJS calls for Khadar Tarabi’s immediate and unconditional release and urges authorities in Las Anod to respect journalists’ rights to carry out their professional duties without intimidation or retaliation.

“We strongly condemn the unlawful arrest and continued detention of journalist Khadar Mohamed Abdi, also known as Khadar Tarabi in Las Anod city since Thursday 28 May 2026. This is a clear violation of press freedom and the right to report on matters of public interest,” said SJS Secretary General, Abdalle Mumin.

“SJS calls on the authorities in the Northeastern Regional Administration in Las Anod to immediately and unconditionally release the journalist, stop false accusations against him, and ensure that journalists are allowed to carry out their work without intimidation, harassment, or fear of reprisal,” Mr. Mumin added.