Saturday May 23, 2026
Mogadishu (HOL) — Police in Mogadishu have arrested several youths accused of disrupting security checkpoints and taking part in acts of violence, authorities said Friday, as opposition figures condemned the detentions as politically motivated.
The Banadir Regional Police Command said the suspects were arrested in security areas after allegedly creating conditions that could threaten public safety, stability and movement in the capital.
Authorities warned the public against what they described as “organized actions against the security and stability of the capital.” Police also said unauthorized demonstrations or gatherings without approval from security agencies are not allowed under security procedures.
MP Abdirahman Abdishakur Warsame strongly condemned the arrests, saying they were aimed at suppressing the political views of Somali youth.
He said six young people had been arrested for participating in a peaceful protest in Mogadishu and claimed that 15 youths in total had been detained by the government of President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud.
“The arrests of youth for peacefully expressing their views reflect the growing fear of the Hassan Sheikh regime regarding the awakening and voice of Somali youth,” Abdishakur said.
He called for the immediate and unconditional release of the detainees and urged the government to end what he described as politically motivated arrests and intimidation of young people.
Abdishakur also called on Somali youth inside and outside the country to stand with those he said were being unlawfully targeted, saying that “silence normalizes repression.”
The arrests come amid growing political tension in Mogadishu following the collapse of recent talks between the federal government and opposition leaders over elections, constitutional changes and the political transition.
