The Committee to Protect Journalists has called for the release of Somali journalist Abdiqani Hussein Abokor, known as Baylood, who has been detained without charge since August 29 in Somaliland. His arrest followed an interview he conducted with a local poet.
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Muthoki Mumo, CPJ Africa Program Coordinator, noted that Abdiqani is among several journalists in Somaliland who have faced similar detentions in recent months. Authorities have not formally charged him in the ten days since his arrest and should release him immediately.
On August 27, Abdiqani published a video interview with poet Ismail Yusuf Abdi, also known as Jiheeye, who warned President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdillahi about the consequences of not intervening in a land seizure affecting him. The day after the interview, Ismail was arrested by Hargeisa security forces, and Abdiqani was summoned to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) headquarters, where he was subsequently detained.
Abdiqani made a brief appearance in Hargeisa’s Marodi-Jeh Regional Court and was remanded for seven days for investigation. His lawyer, Tawakal Ibrahim Mohamed, indicated that Abdiqani was expected to return to court but did not appear as scheduled.
Informally, a CID officer mentioned to Tawakal that the police plan to file two charges against Abdiqani: one for offending the honor or prestige of the president, with a potential prison sentence of up to three years, and another for disseminating anti-state propaganda, which could lead to five years in prison under the penal code.
Somaliland declared independence from Somalia in 1991 but has not received international recognition, though Israel acknowledged its independence in December 2025. Over the past year, there has been a notable increase in crackdowns on press freedoms, resulting in numerous arrests of journalists and media workers.
CPJ's requests for comment from the presidency, information ministry, and police commission went unanswered.