The Relentless Campaign Against Somaliland’s Independent Press
As the international community and the people of Somaliland turn their attention to the United States, President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdillahi (Cirro) is embarking on a historic diplomatic tour. From the podiums of Washington, D.C., the President is aggressively marketing Somaliland’s democratic achievements. He is pitching his nation as a mature, free, and fair democracy that shares the values of human rights and freedom of expression with the free world, making a compelling case for long-overdue international recognition.
However, this meticulously crafted image is being actively dismantled on the home front. A faction of his own cabinet ministers is spearheading a relentless, authoritarian campaign against independent journalists. Instead of the nation focusing entirely on the President’s diplomatic milestones and the hopes of millions of Somalilanders, the domestic conversation has been entirely hijacked by the government's heavy-handed tactics. The rampant arrests of media professionals and the severe democratic backsliding overseen by the Ministry of Interior have become the defining narrative of the day. The police and internal security apparatus are issuing arbitrary arrest warrants, seemingly oblivious to the catastrophic political and diplomatic damage they are inflicting on the nation.
The Never-Ending Cycle of Detentions: The Cases of Baylood and Galaydh
Over the past two weeks, the suppression of the press has reached a critical tipping point, highlighted by the targeted arrests of two of the country's most prominent media figures.
Journalist Abdiqani Hussein Abokor, widely known as Baylood and the founder of Heegan TV, was taken into custody on August 29, 2026. As of September 11, he has been languishing in the Criminal Investigation Department headquarters for over fourteen days without a single formal charge presented before a court. His only alleged crime was interviewing the poet Ismail Yusuf Abdi. During the broadcast, the poet complained about his family's forced eviction from their land and recited a poem critical of the President.
This unlawful detention sparked widespread outrage. A coalition of independent journalists, led by Hassan Saleban Harun (Hassan Galaydh), the founder of Gallaydh Media, held a press conference in Hargeisa demanding Baylood’s immediate release. During this address, Galaydh poignantly reminded the public that President Cirro, during his time as an opposition leader, was a fierce and vocal critic of the state's imprisonment of journalists.
Unfortunately, rather than rectifying the injustice, the government retaliated. On September 9, 2026, while on a work trip in the town of Gabiley, security forces arrested Hassan Galaydh. He has now been detained for three days under the vague police pretext of spreading "false news." The undeniable reality is that he is being punished for defending a colleague and daring to hold the government accountable.
Executive Overreach and the Role of the Security Apparatus
The brazen targeting of journalists, the orchestration of arrests without judicial warrants, and the prolonged detention of citizens beyond legal limits point to a systemic administrative failure within the Ministry of Interior. The officials and police commanders operating under this ministry appear completely disconnected from the geopolitical harm they are causing to Somaliland’s sovereignty.
Somaliland does not possess international recognition, continental military might, or overwhelming economic leverage. The nation’s most valuable diplomatic currency is its strategic location, its hard-won peace, and its track record of democratic elections. When the government establishes an internal system of repression, it directly sabotages the very arguments President Cirro is currently presenting to lawmakers in Washington.
The Dark Record of 2025 to 2026: A Systematic Purge of the Press
To fully grasp the magnitude of this crisis and the rapid erosion of democratic norms under President Cirro’s tenure, one must examine the staggering record of arrests across the country. Since the beginning of 2025, an unprecedented 47 journalists have been detained, intimidated, or subjected to politically motivated trials to silence their reporting on social and political issues. The following table chronicles some of the government's aggressive campaign against the free press:
Date of Arrest | Targeted Journalist | Media Affiliation & Location | Pretext for Arrest & State Response |
16 January 2025 | Shafi’i Abdi Mohamed (“Shaaciye”) | Facebook journalist (Hargeisa) | Arrested after returning from Mogadishu. Known for critical posts about authorities; released after a week following clan mediation on the condition he stop criticizing the police. |
1 March 2025 | Qayraan Aadan | Facebook journalist (Erigavo) | Arrested by order of the Defense Ministry after publishing interviews with clans criticizing the government’s efforts to integrate local militias into the army. Released after three days. |
8 March 2025 | Mohamed Suute | Facebook journalist (Erigavo) | Arrested after publishing interviews with clan members criticizing government militia-recruitment policies in Sanaag. Released without charge on 10 March. |
18 March & 30 May 2025 | Abdiladif Sa’id Asayr | Facebook journalist (Erigavo / Hargeisa) | Arrested in March over posts featuring clans dissatisfied with army recruitment. Arrested again in May after alleging the Interior Ministry’s director-general failed to develop Sanaag. Released after several days each time. |
20 March 2025 | Yusuf Abdalle Yusuf | Xog Ogaal News (Hargeisa) | Detained and questioned by intelligence officers for four hours after reporting that clan militias in El Afweyn refused to join Somaliland forces. Warned against speaking publicly about the detention. |
11 May 2025 | Mohamed Abdi Hassan (“Onkod”) | Local journalist (Erigavo) | Arrested after publishing a video of clan members threatening action against armed men blocking commercial traffic. Accused of “inciting violence” and released after three days without charge. |
23 May 2025 | Abdiqadir Mohamed Aw-Hassan | Freelance journalist (Hargeisa) | Arrested over a deleted satirical video reportedly depicting President Cirro in women’s clothing. Sentenced to six months in prison for “insulting the president.” |
29 May 2025 | Warsame Kaafi Abdirashid Aden | Facebook journalist (Erigavo) | Detained after publishing an interview with a woman alleging the chairman of the Sanaag Appeals Court physically assaulted her. Spent four days in prison and released without charge. |
9 June 2025 | Sa’id Muse Farah (“Sa’id Qurbawi”) | Sabar TV (Erigavo) | Arrested after interviewing employees complaining about mismanagement and poor treatment at Erigavo TB Hospital. Released on bail and fined ~$80 for publishing the critical report. |
22 June 2025 | Abdirisaq Qaasim | Saab TV (Berbera) | Arrested over allegations he anonymously published a Facebook report criticizing the Deputy Speaker and an MP. Transferred to Hargeisa, detained for a week, and released after clan negotiations. |
1 July 2025 | Yasir Ahmed Abdillahi | Facebook journalist (Hargeisa) | Arrested after posting a video describing President Cirro’s visit to Qatar as “low level.” Accused of being “anti-Somaliland” by the Attorney General, but a court later released him for lack of evidence. |
5 August 2025 | Ahmed Mohamud Dool | Facebook journalist (Hargeisa) | Arrested after sharing an article alleging police involvement in two murder cases. Accused of “spreading false information,” held for 30 days, fined $150, and released. |
11 September 2025 | Ahmed Sheikh Muse Hassan (“Buudhi”) | Horn Cable TV (Borama) | Briefly detained with two colleagues following critical coverage of the Awdal governor during President Cirro’s visit to Borama. No official reason provided. |
11 September 2025 | Abdirisaq Omar Mee’aad (“Awliyo”) | CBA TV (Borama) | Briefly detained alongside Buudhi and a cameraman due to the governor’s anger over critical local coverage. |
11 September 2025 | Ahmed Dayib | Cameraman (Borama) | Detained in the same sweep as Buudhi and Awliyo. No official reason provided. |
12 September 2025 | Abdiaziz Saleban Sulub (“Abdiaziz Awl”) | KF Media TV (Burao) | Arrested on orders from the Togdheer governor over negative reporting. Spent 18 days in detention. Acquitted by a regional court but kept in custody while the Attorney General appealed. |
27 September 2025 | Sa’id Muse Farah (“Sa’id Qurbawi”) | Sabar TV (Erigavo) | Arrested, reportedly beaten, and detained for seven hours after questioning the Education Minister about the closure of three local schools. Released without charge. |
27 September 2025 | Ibrahim Abdi Adan (“Murti”) | Local reporter (Erigavo) | Arrested and reportedly assaulted alongside Qurbawi for questioning the Education Minister about school closures. Released without charge. |
27 September 2025 | Mohamed Yusuf Ilkacase | Local reporter (Erigavo) | Arrested in the same sweep while covering the Education Minister’s visit. Released without charge after seven hours. |
27 September 2025 | Sa’id Abdirahman | Local reporter (Erigavo) | Arrested alongside colleagues for questioning the Education Minister. Reported beatings and detention without charge. |
27 September 2025 | Mohamed Wadiin | Facebook journalist (Gabiley) | Arrested without a warrant after reporting on the detention of clan elders in Wajale who had criticized the government’s seizure of land. |
28 October 2025 | Hamse Abdirashid | Local journalist (Tog Wajaale) | Arrested in a sweep with three colleagues by Somaliland police. No precise allegation or official reason was publicly stated. |
28 October 2025 | Farhan Abdi Aw-Isse | Local journalist (Tog Wajaale) | Arrested in the same sweep by police. Official grounds not specified. |
28 October 2025 | Abdisamad Bade | Local journalist (Tog Wajaale) | Arrested alongside Hamse and Farhan. No specific reason stated. |
28 October 2025 | Sayid Hanad Mohamed Madar | Local journalist (Tog Wajaale) | Arrested in the same group of four Tog Wajaale journalists. |
4 November 2025 | Mohamed Abdi Abdillahi (“Andar”) & Ahmed Heersare | MM Somali TV (Hargeisa) | Briefly arrested while interviewing disabled former Somaliland soldiers protesting inadequate government welfare support. Released the same day without charge. |
29 November 2025 | Mohamed Abdi Abdillahi (“Andar”) | MM Somali TV (Hargeisa) | Arrested after reporting local youths’ allegations that foreigners were engaging in illicit activity guarded by police. Held for two days without a warrant; released after police withdrew allegations. |
22 February 2026 | Ahmed-Zaki Ibrahim Mohamud | Warrame Media (Hargeisa) | Arrested during a raid on Warrame Media’s offices. Arrest followed interviews with figures critical of President Cirro. Transferred to Mandhera Prison pending charges. |
4 March 2026 | Mohamed Saleban Ahmed (“Suute”) | Local journalist (Erigavo) | Arrested after publishing a report on drought conditions containing criticism of local aid responses. Released but later charged with “spreading false information.” |
5 March 2026 | Abdiqaadir Mohamed (“Ishqi”) | Local journalist (Borama) | Arrested in Borama and released several days later. No clear official explanation provided for the detention. |
29 August 2026 | Abdiqani Hussein Abokor (“Baylood”) | Heegan TV (Hargeisa) | Arrested after interviewing a poet whose family was evicted from their land; the broadcast included a poem cursing President Cirro. Remained detained at CID headquarters without formal charge. |
9 September 2026 | Hassan Saleban Harun (“Hassan Gallaydh”) | Gallaydh Media (Gabiley/Hargeisa) | Arrested while covering a graduation ceremony and transferred to Hargeisa CID. Widely linked to his Sept 7 remarks demanding Abdiqani Baylood’s release and criticizing the President. |
A Fractured Democracy and an Urgent Appeal
This grim data provides undeniable proof that the administration of President Cirro, particularly the security apparatus, has chosen to govern through suppression, intimidation, and constitutional violations. The systematic arrest of scores of journalists exposes a glaring political betrayal.
As Hassan Galaydh reminded the public just days before his own arrest, President Cirro was once the nation's most vocal defender of press freedom during his years in the opposition. To truly understand the depth of this political duplicity, one only needs to look back at the words President Cirro himself published on social media when he was the leader of the Waddani party, fiercely condemning the administration of his predecessor, President Muse Bihi Abdi:
Post Translation: "The suppression, intimidation, and bullying of the independent press under Muse Bihi’s tenure continues. Two months ago, the BBC Somali service was suspended. Weeks ago, an unbearable fine was imposed on the independent television network MMTV. And yesterday, the government issued a non-judicial suspension order, which appeared to be certain ministers targeting the independent CBA television. This is not a new occurrence, but it will join the countless abuses the Muse administration has committed against the independent press."
Those words belong to a bygone era. Today, with his own government committing exponentially more violations, the President’s diplomatic mission to the United States rings hollow if the actions on the ground involve locking the free voices of Somaliland behind prison walls.
If Somaliland intends to successfully sell its case for international recognition, the government must practically demonstrate the democratic values it preaches abroad. The current administration must immediately restore the freedom of Abdiqani Baylood and Hassan Galaydh, and it must decisively end the rampant abuse of power directed at the independent press.
