From January to December 2025, SJS documented 148 cases of media freedom violations during the year, marking a significant rise compared to 31 cases in 2024 and 25 in 2023. Out of these, 148 journalists were arrested or arbitrarily detained. Mogadishu recorded the highest number, with 118 cases of violations, mainly carried out by the police followed by the National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA).

In Somaliland, 36 journalists were detained, particularly in regions such as Erigabo, Sanaag, and Awdal, where inter-clan tensions were high. At least five cases involved kidnappings.

In Mogadishu, the police chief Mahdi Omar Mumin (Moalim Mahdi) and district police commanders are repeatedly implicated in orchestrating, ordering, and, in some cases, directly carrying out unlawful arrests, detentions, and the confiscation of journalists’ equipment.

Nearly 90% of those arrested were never brought before a court and were released without charge after spending hours or days in detention. Additionally, over 10% of the violations affected women journalists, highlighting a concerning gender dimension to the abuses.

Despite these trends, both Somalia and Somaliland constitutions guarantee freedom of expression and media independence, including the right to speak, publish, and access information, with limitations only under the law.

However, the data clearly shows that police forces were the primary perpetrators, responsible for approximately 91.2% of all recorded violations in 2025.

The pattern of violations indicates that authorities in both Somalia and Somaliland are primarily motivated by efforts to control narratives around insecurity, avoid public embarrassment, and conceal security weaknesses amid Al-Shabaab’s terror attacks. Journalists were also targeted to limit debate on politically sensitive issues, including constitutional changes and contested election model and policies in Mogadishu.

Furthermore, these actions appear aimed at discouraging public mobilization, particularly around protests and social issues, while also concealing human rights abuses and misconduct by authorities or allied actors. In many cases, the violations serve to intimidate the media and enforce self-censorship across the sector.

In response, SJS calls for an immediate end to arbitrary arrests, physical assaults, equipment confiscation, and forced deletion of journalistic material. The organization also urges that police officers and security personnel be held accountable for violations against journalists, including targeted attacks on women journalists.

SJS further recommends urgent human rights training for police and other security forces in both Somalia and Somaliland to ensure respect for constitutional rights and press freedom.

Finally, SJS expresses serious concern over the lack of judicial independence in both Somalia and Somaliland. Judges and court officials are often political appointees, which undermines their ability to uphold constitutional rights and contributes to a climate of impunity for violations against journalists.

“Both Somalia and Somaliland are at a critical juncture where media freedom and open reporting are vital to keeping the public informed. However, we are deeply concerned that if these attacks continue with impunity, they will lead to widespread self-censorship, leaving journalists and local media unable to report on what is happening. We are already witnessing journalists leaving the country out of fear,” said SJS Secretary General Abdalle Mumin.

“We call for an immediate end to these attacks and full accountability for all officers involved,” Mr. Mumin added.

Tragically, two journalists were killed in Mogadishu. Local independent journalist Mohamed Abukar Dabaashe died in an Al-Shabaab terrorist bombing targeting a residential area in March, while Abdifatah Abdi Osman, known as Arab, a television technician, was shot dead by a lone gunman in May while on his way to work.

During the year, 22 journalists sustained beatings and physical assaults by state security forces while on duty. Fourteen of the victims were reporters attacked in Mogadishu, including two women. In Somaliland, security forces attacked five journalists, including one who was shot with live ammunition and subsequently beaten.

Throughout 2025, 148 journalists were arrested or arbitrarily detained. In Somaliland, 36 journalists were detained or arrested in regions such as Erigabo, Sanaag, and Awdal, which experienced heightened inter-clan conflicts. Mogadishu led with 118 cases of media violations including arbitrary detentions, primarily carried out by NISA and the police. Five of these incidents were kidnappings.

Nearly 90 percent of journalists arrested or arbitrarily detained were not brought to court and were released without charge, often after one or several days in detention. Over 10% of the media violations recorded in 2025 affected women journalists.

Nine cases of media violations were recorded in each of Southwest and Galmudug, while Puntland commited seven violations; Northeastern (formerly SSC-Khaatumo) detained three reporters; Hirshabelle arrested two and Jubaland detained one journalist. The past year also showed a pattern of repression through prosecution and legal harassment. SJS documented nine incidents of legal harassment and Strategic Litigation Against Public Participation (SLAPP) lawsuit aimed at silencing journalists – including SJS itself  – and intimidating them from performing their work. One of these legal harassment cases specifically targeted a woman journalist in Puntland State.

In 2025, a total of nine media stations were banned or denied access, including five in Southwest State of Somalia. Two of the affected outlets in Mogadishu were targeted by Somali security forces. In Somaliland, a local television station was closed over its reporting of the tension between Somalia and Somaliland, and the Hadwanaag news website was suspended again after an earlier lift of a long-standing ban.

Women journalists in Somalia are frequently targeted with online harassment, intimidation, and disinformation campaigns. Throughout the year, SJS documented repeated incidents of both online and offline attacks against women in media. Women journalists in Mogadishu were particularly vulnerable, as the political environment worsened amid heated debates surrounding the 2026 elections. At the same time, forced evictions of vulnerable families increased, causing large-scale displacement in the city. Several women journalists covering these developments were arrested, leading many to avoid posting opinions on social media or engaging in reporting assignments that might provoke retaliation from local authorities.

In Puntland, a woman journalist faced legal threats after conducting street interviews that reportedly angered local authorities in Garowe. Such incidents have contributed to growing fear and self-censorship among women in the media.

Somali women journalists and media producers also report a rise in AI-facilitated abuse, including voice cloning, manipulated images, and fake online content used to shame or discredit women journalists. These digital attacks are becoming increasingly common tools to silence female voices in the media.

Women journalists also face structural barriers to leadership and decision-making positions within Somali media organizations. Women currently make up only about 20 percent of professional journalists in Somalia, and many receive lower pay than male colleagues performing similar work. Key challenges include exclusion from editorial decision-making roles, male-dominated newsroom management, gender pay gaps, and sexual harassment linked to job security or career advancement. These conditions create hostile workplace environments and prevent many women journalists from advancing to leadership positions within media institutions.

To address these challenges, SJS has been actively working to empower women journalists through training, advocacy, and protection initiatives, aiming to create a safer, more inclusive, and equitable media environment in Somalia.

DOWNLOAD ANNUAL PRESS FREEDOM REPORT 2025

READ SUMMARY IN ARABIC

READ SUMMARY IN SOMALI