Mogadishu, Somalia – Three journalists from Somalia Media Service TV have reportedly been unlawfully detained by Somali police forces, with their whereabouts currently unknown, raising alarm over press freedom and the safety of media workers in the country.
According to Hassan Adde, the station’s Director, the journalists were targeted after reporting on alleged government-led land grabbing in the Siinaay market area of Mogadishu.
“Our team has been receiving threats from security personnel since the report aired. Now, three of our colleagues have been taken, and no one will tell us where they are being held,” Added said in a statement on Sunday.
Somalia Media Service TV did not release the names of the detained journalists out of concern for their safety. The arrests reportedly occurred over the weekend, though details remain unclear due to a lack of official comment from police authorities.
The Somali Police Force has not responded to inquiries about the incident, and no formal charges have been announced against the journalists.
Human rights advocates and local media watchdogs have condemned the reported detentions, calling for the immediate release of the journalists and urging the government to respect press freedom.
“Targeting journalists for exposing misconduct is a clear violation of their rights and undermines democratic accountability,” said a spokesperson from the Somali Journalists Syndicate (SJS).
Somalia has long ranked among the most dangerous countries in the world for journalists. Threats, arbitrary arrests, and violence against media workers remain widespread, particularly when reporting on corruption or abuse of power by authorities.
This latest incident has sparked concern among local press outlets, many of whom fear a broader crackdown on independent reporting amid rising political tensions.
The Somali government has yet to issue an official statement regarding the detentions or the allegations of land grabbing in Siinaay market.