Between 22 and 24 May 2025, at least 15 journalists were arrested in Mogadishu as part of a crackdown on media freedom in Somalia’s capital. According to the Somali Journalists Syndicate, this wave of repression included arbitrary detentions, confiscation of equipment, and obstruction of media workers—primarily by officers from the National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA) and the Somali Police Force. The journalists, affiliated with both local and independent media outlets, were reportedly detained while covering politically sensitive topics, including governance, corruption, and national security. These arrests were carried out without warrants, and most of the detainees were held without formal charges or access to legal representation. Eyewitnesses and civil society organisations reported that security forces stormed several newsrooms and detained reporters on the spot. The National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ) and other media watchdogs have condemned the arrests as unconstitutional and a clear violation of press freedom and human rights.
This event reflects a rapidly deteriorating civic space in Somalia, where freedom of expression, media independence, and democratic engagement are under threat. The coordinated crackdown sends a chilling message to journalists and civil society actors who play a vital role in promoting transparency and accountability. The use of state security forces to silence critical reporting undermines Principle 1 of the enabling environment for civil society—the protection of fundamental freedoms, particularly freedom of expression and access to information. It also raises concerns about the erosion of legal safeguards and the normalisation of arbitrary detention as a tool of repression.