On July 2, 2026, police in Somalia’s semi-autonomous Puntland state raided journalist Suways Jama Mohamed’s home in the capital, Garowe, and detained her at the city’s main prison, according to the Media Association of Puntland advocacy group and journalist Shukri Abdisamad Isse, a close friend of Suways, who spoke with CPJ.
Suways, also known as Suways Gacayte, publishes news reports and interviews on YouTube and Facebook.
She was charged with spreading false news and insulting the honor of public officials under Somalia’s 1962 penal code. Both offenses carry penalties of up to four years in prison or fines.
The charges followed Suways’ June 29 report alleging that forces loyal to Somalia’s federal government in Mogadishu had displaced residents of Garowe after establishing military bases in their areas.
On July 13, Suways’ trial began. Her lawyer, Abdiwali Saed Haji Ahmed-Nur, objected to the Attorney General’s Office bringing criminal charges directly before the court rather than first referring the complaint to the regulatory Puntland Media Council, as required under the media law. He told CPJ that due process had not been followed.
On July 15, Suways was released on bail.
CPJ did not receive responses to requests for comment sent by email to the Ministry of Information or via messaging app to Information Minister Farhan Ali Hersi and presidential spokesperson Jama Deperani.