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Journalists in Somalia arrested after airing rape allegations
NAIROBI – Somali authorities arrested two journalists, one of them the victim of an alleged rape, on Wednesday in Mogadishu, the capital, and charged them with defamation in connection with a report on the alleged rape, according to news reports and local journalists.
In a video, which was posted online earlier this week, Radio Shabelle journalist Mohamed Bashir interviews a female reporter of Kasmo Voice Women Radio, who says that she was raped at gunpoint. The unnamed victim said she was assaulted by two journalists from the state-owned Radio Mogadishu, according to news reports.
The woman named her alleged attackers in the video. The accused denied the allegations and filed a defamation suit, according to news reports.
Mohamed and the victim of the alleged rape have been detained at the Central Investigations Department headquarters, local journalists said.
“This is not the first time in Somalia that the victim of an alleged rape and a messenger are harassed or imprisoned for reporting such allegations,” said CPJ East Africa Representative Tom Rhodes. “We call on authorities to release Mohamed Bashir and the victim of the alleged rape, and to ensure a transparent and efficient investigation into the allegations.”
The manager of the Shabelle Media Network, Abdimaalik Yusuf, was also detained for six hours in connection with the story, news reports said. He was questioned in custody about recording the interview, and then released, he told CPJ.
Government Spokesmen Abdirahman Omar Osman told CPJ that they were allowing the police and judiciary to carry out their investigations prior to any government involvement in the case.
In February, a Mogadishu court sentenced a victim of an alleged rape and freelance journalist Abdiaziz Abdinuur who interviewed her to one-year prison sentences, but released them on appeal two months later, according to CPJ research. Abdiaziz fled the country soon after release, fearing for his life, he told CPJ.
Authorities forced Radio Shabelle off the air on October 26 over a building ownership dispute and confiscated the media house’s equipment, local journalists told CPJ. The station is off the air, but still broadcasting online.The government recently returned the equipment to Shabelle Media Network but in a damaged state, Abdimaalik said.
The president’s director of communications, Malik Abdalla, denied that the equipment had been returned damaged and said the claim was “completely false,” he told CPJ.
The Social Democratic Party (SDP) and the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) have disclosed details of their recent closed-door meeting with President Bola Tinubu, explaining that the engagement focused on strengthening Nigeria’s democratic process ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The clarification came amid speculation surrounding the meeting, which took place at the Presidential Villa in Abuja after leaders of several opposition parties attended an Iftar dinner hosted by the president earlier in the week.
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Speaking during a gathering hosted in Abuja by the SDP’s former presidential candidate, Adewole Adebayo on Friday, the party’s National Chairman, Prof. Sadiq Gombe, said the meeting with Tinubu followed an official invitation from the Presidency and lasted about an hour.
According to Gombe, the discussion centred on the need to strengthen Nigeria’s electoral laws and restore public confidence in the country’s electoral process ahead of the 2027 polls.
He explained that the meeting provided an opportunity for party leaders to remind the president of the importance of conducting transparent, free, and credible elections.
Gombe noted that democracy can only thrive when governments listen to the concerns of citizens and ensure electoral processes that guarantee fairness and accountability.
The SDP chairman also expressed concern over growing voter apathy, pointing to the low turnout recorded in the recent Area Council election in the Federal Capital Territory.
He said the Abuja Municipal Area Council election witnessed only about seven per cent voter turnout, which he described as a clear sign that many Nigerians are losing confidence in the electoral system.
Gombe urged the government and members of the National Assembly to take urgent steps to review electoral laws and rebuild public trust in Nigeria’s democracy.
Also speaking, the National Chairman of IPAC, Dr. Yusuf Dantalle, said political parties used the meeting to raise concerns about aspects of proposed electoral reforms, particularly issues related to indirect primaries and the mandatory electronic transmission of results.
Dantalle explained that the parties appealed to the president to use his influence to encourage legislative review where necessary, noting that reforms should strengthen, rather than complicate, the democratic process.
He expressed optimism that Tinubu would consider the concerns raised and support necessary amendments that would improve the electoral system.
The IPAC chairman also called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to strictly adhere to electoral guidelines as preparations for the next election cycle begin.
Earlier in his remarks, Adebayo cautioned political actors against turning the 2027 general elections into a do-or-die contest, stressing that the primary goal of democracy should be the progress and stability of Nigeria rather than personal political victories.
He urged leaders across political parties to encourage citizens to actively participate in the democratic process and ensure that elections are conducted peacefully and transparently.
President Bola Tinubu and Mr. Taiwo Oyedele during his nomination on Wednesday.
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