Somaliland arrests two journalists and a poet in two weeks over criticism of president Abdirahman Irro

Journalist Abdiqani Hussein Abokor, known as Baylood, founder of Heegan TV, was arrested on 29 August 2026 after interviewing Somaliland-based poet Ismail Yusuf Abdi, also known as Jiheeye. During the interview, published by Abdiqani Hussein Abokor on his Facebook page on 27 August, Ismail complained to President Irro about the forced eviction of his family from their home in Hargeisa. During the interview, Ismail recited a poem in which he cursed the president and said "that the president's honour should be diminished and failure comes to him" if the vulnerable family were evicted from their homes. The interview came after Somaliland authorities reportedly began evicting families living in a neighbourhood in the west of Hargeisa where President Irro's family resided, citing security concerns, according to media reports. A local journalist and a lawyer representing some of the affected families told SJS that local residents, including the family of poet Ismail Jiheeye, had complained about the evictions and demanded compensation if they were required to surrender their land rights. Somaliland police also arrested poet Ismail Jiheeye for giving the interview. Both are being held at the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) in Hargeisa. On 6 September, lawyer Tawakal Ibrahim Mohamed, who represents Abdiqani and Ismail, stated in a written statement that the two detained men were brought before a court when they were arrested at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, 29 August 2026. Somaliland police also arrested poet Ismail Jiheeye (pictured) for giving the interview to journalist Abdiqani Hussein Abokor. | Photo: screenshot from Facebook/Heegan TV interview. "The court ordered that Abdiqani Hussein Abokor and Ismail Jiheeye be held in custody pending investigations for seven days. That period expired on Saturday, 5 September 2026. However, the two men remain in detention without being brought before a court again or formally charged," the lawyer's statement noted. SJS considers their continued detention to be contrary to the Constitution of Somaliland, which obliges continued judicial oversight of any person held in custody, and calls for their immediate release. On Wednesday, 9 September, Somaliland police in Gebiley arrested journalist Hassan Saleban Harun, known as Gallaydh, while he was covering a university graduation ceremony in Gebiley, a town about an hour's drive from the capital, Hargeisa. Colleagues at Gallaydh TV told SJS that Hassan Gallaydh was transferred to Hargeisa, where he is being held at the Criminal Investigation Department. Police did not provide a reason for his arrest. However, local journalists interviewed by SJS said Hassan Gallaydh had spoken during a journalists' protest in Hargeisa on Monday 7 September, calling for the release of Abdiqani Hussein Abokor. In his statement during the journalists' protest, which SJS had reviewed, Hassan Gallaydh said: "President Abdirahman Irro, when he was in the opposition, he visited every single journalist in jail, and he believed that every single journalist arrested was unlawful. Mr. President, the media is the same and the place is the same. Mr. President, we are hearing that you are the one who ordered Abdiqani Hussein Abokor's arrest, and we call on you to free him." The Somaliland Ministry of Information did not respond to SJS requests for clarification regarding the arrests and continued detention of the journalists. SJS calls on Somaliland government to immediately and unconditionally release Abdiqani Hussein Abokor and Hassan Saleban Harun as well as poet Ismail Jiheeye and to respect journalists' right to scrutinize the government, report freely without intimidation, arbitrary arrest or detention. "The arrest and continued detention of two journalists in Hargeisa simply because they reported on issues affecting the public, interviewed a citizen who criticised those in power, or expressed their views is unacceptable. We strongly condemn the arrests of Abdiqani Hussein Abokor, Hassan Saleban Harun and poet Ismail Yusuf Abdi Jiheeye, and we call for their immediate and unconditional release," said SJS Secretary General, Abdalle Mumin. "President Abdirahman Irro should demonstrate his commitment to democracy and the rule of law by ensuring that these detainees are released immediately. Somaliland's journalists are not the enemy of the government. They are an essential part of society and play a critical role in informing the public, exposing abuses, raising concerns from communities and holding those in power accountable," added Mr. Mumin.- Somali Journalists Syndicate -