On October 12, 2025, four armed police officers arrested reporter Khadar Abdirahman Ibrahim in a raid on Himilo Media’s studio in the capital, Mogadishu, along with station director Ahmed Mohamed Adam, Khadar told CPJ, after his release on October 15. Ahmed was released after several hours.
Khadar, deputy director of the privately owned broadcaster, said he was blindfolded and his hands were tied before they were taken to the city’s Waberi District Police Station, where three masked plainclothes officers and one in uniform beat, slapped, and kicked him, and hit him with the butt of a gun, accusing him of “inciting a revolution.”
On October 14, Khadar appeared at Banadir Regional Court and was charged with defamation and offending the honor of the head of state, under the penal code, both of which carry a penalty of up to three years in jail, according to a copy of the judgment, reviewed by CPJ. He was also charged with dissemination of fake news information and failure to register as a journalist, under the media law, the judgment said.
CPJ has criticized the media law for provisions that could criminalize reporting and give the government overly broad powers and oversight over media organizations.
Khadar told CPJ that prosecutors cited his recent reports on abuses during forced evictions in Mogadishu.
On October 15, the court acquitted Khadar and he was freed, the judgment showed.
Khadar told CPJ on October 22 that he continued to experience pain from the beatings and he remained concerned for his safety.
As of October 28, the police did not respond to CPJ’s request for comment via email.