Friday July 10, 2026
Garowe (HOL) — Journalists in Garowe held a peaceful protest Thursday against the detention of journalist Suways Jama Mohamud, known as Suways Ga’ayte, and called on Puntland authorities to release her.
The journalists said they were seeking justice for Ga’ayte, who has been held in Garowe Central Prison for eight days.
NUSOJ said it had engaged directly with Puntland leaders and relevant authorities since Ga’ayte’s arrest to establish the legal basis for her detention and seek her release through dialogue.
The union said Puntland authorities had failed to provide a credible legal justification for her arrest or continued detention.
NUSOJ said it believes the arrest and prosecution are intended to punish Ga’ayte for her independent journalism and critical reporting in the public interest.
The union expressed solidarity with journalists in Garowe who protested her detention, praising their courage and professionalism in defending media freedom.
It said the protest reflected growing concern within Somalia’s media community over what it described as attempts to intimidate independent journalists through arbitrary arrest, politically motivated prosecution and abuse of state power.
“The criminal justice system must never be used as a tool to punish journalists for independent reporting,” said Omar Faruk Osman, NUSOJ secretary general.
Osman called on Puntland judicial authorities to discontinue proceedings against Ga’ayte and withdraw all charges linked to her journalistic work.
He also urged Puntland’s leadership to stop using criminal law against journalists, respect constitutional protections for media freedom and ensure journalists can work without intimidation, arbitrary arrest or political retaliation.
Ga’ayte is a Garowe-based journalist known for reporting on social and public affairs, including governance, accountability and public services. NUSOJ said her reporting has often been critical of Puntland’s political leadership.
NUSOJ said Puntland police arrested Ga’ayte at her home in Garowe on the morning of July 2, 2026, without following established legal procedures and transferred her to Garowe Central Prison.
According to the union, Puntland’s public prosecutor later asked the Garowe court to authorize her detention for 21 days while criminal charges were prepared. The court instead granted a seven-day detention order pending investigation.
“The continued detention of Suways Ga’ayte is wholly unjustifiable and amounts to a politically orchestrated attempt to punish her for her independent and critical reporting,” Osman said.
He said criticism of public officials is an essential part of democratic society and cannot justify criminal charges simply because those in power find such reporting uncomfortable.
NUSOJ said the case reflects a growing misuse of criminal law to suppress independent journalism and intimidate critical voices.
The union said such actions violate constitutional guarantees of freedom of expression and media freedom, as well as Somalia’s obligations under regional and international human rights law.
Puntland authorities have not publicly provided a detailed legal explanation for Ga’ayte’s detention.
