CPJ calls for release of Somaliland journalist held without charge
Ahmed-Zaki’s family told CPJ that they learned of his arrest on February 23 through social media but were unable to locate him.
Mogadishu (Somali Report) - The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has called for the immediate release of journalist Ahmed-Zaki Ibrahim Mohamud, who has been detained without formal charges since February 22 in the breakaway region of Somaliland.
According to CPJ, unidentified individuals raided the offices of Warrame Media, an online outlet founded by Ahmed-Zaki, in Hargeisa on the evening of his arrest. The incident was confirmed by the Somaliland Journalists Association (SOLJA), Ahmed-Zaki’s lawyer Abdifitah Saleban Abukar, and his brother Abdirizak Ibrahim.
“Ahmed-Zaki Ibrahim Mohamud joins a long list of journalists in Somaliland who have been arrested and held under dubious circumstances in recent months,” said CPJ Africa Program Coordinator Muthoki Mumo. “Nearly two weeks after taking this journalist into custody, authorities have failed to formally present charges in court. They should release Ahmed-Zaki without delay.”
Ahmed-Zaki’s family told CPJ that they learned of his arrest on February 23 through social media but were unable to locate him.
On February 24, they found that he was being held in Hargeisa’s Criminal Investigation Department (CID) headquarters but it was not immediately clear where he was detained before that, Ahmed-Zaki’s lawyer said.
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When Ahmed-Zaki’s lawyer and family attempted to visit him, authorities denied them access.
On February 24, Ahmed-Zaki was taken to Marodi-Jeh Regional Court, which remanded him in custody for seven days pending investigation, according to SOLJA and his lawyer. His family were briefly allowed to see him on February 26.
Ahmed-Zaki told his family and lawyer that he believes his arrest was politically motivated and followed the publication of his interviews with a former rebel commander and a member of parliament, who were both critical of President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi’s administration.
On March 4, the court remanded Ahmed-Zaki for an additional three days, as prosecutors prepared to file charges. Ahmed-Zaki was transferred to the high-security Mandhera Prison, about 95 kilometers (60 miles) northeast of Hargeisa, his brother told CPJ.
Somaliland declared independence from Somalia in 1991 but has not been recognized internationally, except for by Israel in December 2025.
CPJ said it did not receive responses to its requests for comment from the presidency, the Ministry of Information, or the police commission.
About the Author
Osman Hassan is a Senior Editor at the Somali Report based in Nairobi with over 15 years of experience in journalism. He has worked with local and international media outlets in Somalia and is an award-winning journalist. His reporting focuses on politics, security, and regional affairs in the Horn of Africa.