Somaliland Journalist Abdiqani Abokor Detention: Held Without Formal Charges

• Somaliland journalist Abdiqani Hussein Abokor was detained on August 29 without formal charges after interviewing a poet.
• The detention followed a video interview published on August 27 with poet Ismail Yusuf Abdi, who criticized Somaliland President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdillahi regarding land seizure.
• Abdiqani's lawyer was informally informed of potential charges including "offending the honour or prestige of the president" and "dissemination of anti-state propaganda," carrying maximum penalties of three and five years imprisonment, respectively.
• The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has called for Abdiqani's immediate release, noting a pattern of journalist detentions in Somaliland.
• This incident highlights a broader crackdown on press freedom in Somaliland, which declared independence in 1991 but lacks widespread international recognition.

This development underscores the significant risks confronting press freedom and freedom of expression within Somaliland, particularly through the potential for arbitrary detention and the application of broadly defined penal code provisions.

Somaliland journalist Abdiqani Hussein Abokor, also known as Baylood, has been held without formal charges since August 29 in the breakaway region of Somaliland. His detention stems from a video interview he conducted with a local poet, which was published online just two days prior. The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has since called for his immediate release, highlighting a concerning trend of journalists being held under questionable circumstances in the territory.

The events leading to Abdiqani's detention began on August 27, when he published an interview on his Facebook page with Ismail Yusuf Abdi, a prominent local poet known as Jiheeye. During the interview, the poet recited a piece that issued a warning to Somaliland President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdillahi. The poem suggested the president would face a curse if he failed to intervene in what the poet described as the illegal seizure of two land plots belonging to him by authorities. The day after the interview's publication, on August 28, Hargeisa security forces carried out the Ismail Yusuf Abdi poet arrest.

Abdiqani Hussein Abokor himself was detained on August 29 after he complied with a summons to the Criminal Investigation Department's (CID) headquarters. According to information provided by his lawyer, Tawakal Ibrahim Mohamed, and the local press rights organization Somaliland Journalists Association (SOLJA), the journalist made a brief appearance before Hargeisa's Marodi-Jeh Regional Court on the same day of his detention. He was subsequently remanded for a period of seven days to allow for further investigation, though he did not return to court as scheduled on the following Saturday.

Despite being held for an extended period, formal charges against Abdiqani Hussein Abokor have not been presented in court. However, his lawyer, Tawakal Ibrahim Mohamed, received informal notification from a CID officer regarding the police's intent to pursue two specific Abdiqani Hussein Abokor charges Somaliland. These potential charges include "offending the honour or prestige of the president," a serious offense under the Somaliland penal code that carries a maximum penalty of three years' imprisonment.

The second alleged charge, also communicated informally, is the "dissemination of anti-state propaganda." This particular provision under Somaliland law carries an even more severe maximum penalty of five years' imprisonment. The lack of formal charges, coupled with the communication of these broad and potentially politically motivated allegations, raises significant concerns about due process and the legal framework governing freedom of expression in the region.

The Somaliland journalist Abdiqani Abokor detention is not an isolated incident but rather indicative of a broader Somaliland press freedom crackdown. The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has voiced strong concerns, with its Africa Program Coordinator, Muthoki Mumo, stating that Abdiqani "joins a long list of journalists in Somaliland who have been detained and held under dubious circumstances in recent months." The CPJ has unequivocally called for the Somaliland journalist release, emphasizing that authorities have failed to formally present charges in court more than a week after his initial custody.

Somaliland, which declared its independence from Somalia in 1991, has not achieved widespread international recognition, with the notable exception of Israel in December 2025. This political status often complicates international advocacy efforts. Over the past year, authorities in the region have intensified their actions against the media, leading to numerous arrests of journalists and other media workers, further illustrating the challenging environment for independent reporting.

In an attempt to gather official commentary on Abdiqani's detention and the broader situation, the CPJ reached out to various Somaliland authorities. They sent emailed requests for comment to both the presidency and the information ministry, and also utilized a messaging application to contact the police commission. However, these efforts did not yield any responses from the Somaliland government bodies.

This development underscores the significant risks confronting press freedom and freedom of expression within Somaliland, particularly through the potential for arbitrary detention and the application of broadly defined penal code provisions. The case of Abdiqani Hussein Abokor highlights how journalists can be swiftly taken into custody without formal charges, based on content perceived as critical of authorities or the president. Such actions create a chilling effect, discouraging investigative reporting and public discourse on sensitive issues.

The informal communication of charges like "offending the honour or prestige of the president" and "dissemination of anti-state propaganda" demonstrates the broad legal exposures faced by media professionals and activists. These provisions, with their substantial prison sentences, can be readily invoked to suppress dissent. The absence of formal court charges for an extended period, despite the initial remand, further illustrates the challenges to due process and legal certainty in Somaliland, making it a precarious environment for independent journalism.

This development highlights the significant risks to press freedom and freedom of expression in Somaliland, particularly the potential for arbitrary detention and the application of broad penal code provisions like 'offending the honour or prestige of the president' and 'dissemination of anti-state propaganda.' Lawyers advising media organizations, NGOs, or individuals operating in Somaliland should be acutely aware of these legal exposures and the challenges to due process.

Source: Original reporting via Committee to Protect Journalists