A rickshaw driver in Somalia has been sentenced to three years in prison for comments she made on social media, in a case that has sparked public outrage and drawn international condemnation.

Sadia Moalim Ali, a 27-year-old nursing graduate, was initially charged with insulting government institutions and incitement to commit a crime, but was convicted only of the former. The sentence, handed down on June 25, was immediately denounced as "fundamentally unjust."

She had posted critical comments on Facebook and TikTok about the federal government, speaking out against youth unemployment, high fuel prices, corruption, nepotism, and forced evictions.

The sentencing of the young mother has been condemned by former high-ranking officials, including former President Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, and human rights groups. Former Prime Minister Hassan Ali Khaire called it a "politically motivated arrest and conviction" reflecting "judicial overreach and abuse of state authority."

The Coalition of Somali Human Rights Defenders called for her immediate release, saying the case reflects a broader pattern of systematic discrimination against women advocating for change. "Female human rights defenders face disproportionate risks, including arbitrary arrest and judicial harassment," the group said.

Ali's lawyer, Mohamed Sheikh Osman, rejected the ruling and said the defense would appeal. Ali, who has a one-year-old daughter, has been in custody since April 12. She alleges she was tortured, including being beaten, kept in solitary confinement, and threatened with rape by police officers.

Source: www.theguardian.com