On May 10, 2026, Somaliland police in the eastern town of Erigavo detained journalist Mohamed Yusuf Ali, also known as Mohamed Ilkacase over reporting on his Facebook page that the town’s offices of the ministry of water had closed, the journalist told CPJ, after his release.
Mohamed said several armed officers took him to Erigavo Central Police Station for questioning and one accused him of spreading false information, an accusation that he denied, maintaining that, as a journalist, he had the right to report on matters of public interest.
After about eight hours, Mohamed was released on bail, after other journalists and his relatives advocated on his behalf.
Mohamed told CPJ that he worked on the report with journalists Abdilatif Saed Ahmed, also known as Abdilatif Asayr, and Mubaarik Mohamed Aadan, also known as Mubaarik Rays.
On June 10, the three journalists were taken into detention, pending judgment.
On June 11, Sanaag regional court in Erigavo convicted Mohamed and Abdilatif of publishing false news false news under Article 287 of the Penal Code. They were both fined 1 million Somaliland shillings (US$100), or one year in prison in default of payment. The fines were paid, securing their release. Mubaarik was acquitted.
Somaliland declared independence from Somalia in 1991 but has not been recognized internationally, except by Israel in December 2025. Since 2025, the breakaway state has seen an uptick in short-term detentions of journalists.
CPJ did not receive responses to July 2026 emails requesting comment from Somaliland’s ministry of information and the office of the president.