On 14 July 2026, journalist Mohamed Jama was arrested by officers of the Puntland Intelligence Service (PISA) in Bosaso, Puntland. According to the National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ), he was taken to a PISA detention facility without any publicly disclosed legal basis for his arrest. Media freedom organizations reported that authorities declined to provide information regarding his detention, raising concerns over due process and transparency. The arrest occurred shortly after his reporting on business closures and protests over increased import taxes in Bosaso.
The National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ), the Somali Journalists Syndicate (SJS), and the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) condemned the arrest, stating that it reflects a pattern of increasing pressure on independent journalists in Puntland. They called for his immediate release and urged authorities to respect press freedom and Somalia’s obligations under national and international human rights standards. The incident raises concerns about the safety of journalists and the ability of the media to report freely on issues of public interest.