Mohamed Bulbul, a journalist for the Guardian, was arrested along with reporters Abdihafid Nor Barre and Abdishakur Mohamed Mohamud on Friday evening in a restaurant in central Mogadishu. They were assaulted by members of Somalia’s US-trained counter-terrorism police unit, beaten with pistols, and taken for questioning. All three were released in the early hours of Saturday.

Media outlets and MPs condemned the arrests as unlawful and politically motivated, occurring amid a crackdown as public anger grows against the ruling establishment ahead of the presidential term ending on May 15. Opposition MP Abdirahman Abdishakur accused the administration of being “consumed by fear” and intensifying repression instead of addressing grievances over forced displacement and land grabbing.

Bulbul’s detention is believed to be linked to his reporting on Sadia Moalim Ali, a 27-year-old rickshaw driver imprisoned for peaceful protest and social media activism. The Guardian published her account of being tortured in Mogadishu central prison, including being stripped, beaten, and left without food. The article was widely shared.

At police headquarters, the journalists were threatened by Mogadishu police chief Mahdi Omar Mumin, who allegedly told them that if they continued reporting on protests, the only option left would be “death.” The Somali Journalists Syndicate reported that earlier this week, at least five local journalists were arrested, and two others remain missing.

Somalia ranks 126th out of 180 countries on the World Press Freedom Index. According to Reporters Without Borders, the country is one of the most dangerous for journalists in Africa, with over 50 media professionals killed since 2010. The Somali authorities have been approached for comment.

Source: www.theguardian.com