Journalist Detained in Somalia's Northeastern State for Criticizing President

Authorities in the newly-formed region have held Abdiqani Abdirahman Mohamed without charge since late March.

Apr. 1, 2026 at 5:56pm

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The Committee to Protect Journalists is calling for the release of Somali journalist Abdiqani Abdirahman Mohamed, also known as Dhulmar, who has been detained without charge since March 26 over a video criticizing the president of Somalia's newly-formed Northeastern State.

Why it matters

The arrest of Abdiqani Abdirahman Mohamed raises concerns about press freedom and the new government's intolerance of public criticism in the Northeastern State, a region that recently broke away from Somalia.

The details

Abdiqani Abdirahman Mohamed, a journalist, was detained by authorities in Somalia's Northeastern State on March 26 over a video he produced that criticized the region's president, Abdiqadir Ahmed Aw-Ali. Mohamed has been held without charge since his arrest.

  • Abdiqani Abdirahman Mohamed was detained on March 26, 2026.
  • Mohamed has been held without charge since his arrest on March 26.

The players

Abdiqani Abdirahman Mohamed

Also known as Dhulmar, he is a Somali journalist who was detained by authorities in the Northeastern State of Somalia for criticizing the region's president.

Abdiqadir Ahmed Aw-Ali

The president of the newly-formed Northeastern State of Somalia, whose criticism led to the detention of journalist Abdiqani Abdirahman Mohamed.

Committee to Protect Journalists

A non-profit organization that advocates for press freedom and the rights of journalists around the world, and has called for the release of Abdiqani Abdirahman Mohamed.

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The takeaway

This incident highlights the challenges facing press freedom and government accountability in the newly-formed Northeastern State of Somalia, as the region's authorities appear to be cracking down on critical reporting of the president.