Mogadishu, Somalia — September 2026: Somali journalists, media professionals and public commentators are facing a renewed wave of Facebook account and Page restrictions, raising concerns about the possible misuse of platform reporting and enforcement systems and their impact on media freedom and freedom of expression.
Among the recent cases are Gaylan Media, Munasar Mohamed, Shiine Culey, Ali Adan Muumin, Mohamed Abdi Muudey and Zakariye Timacade, whose Facebook accounts or Pages have reportedly been disabled, restricted or otherwise affected.
Gaylan Media’s Facebook Page was disabled again after previously being restored. The media outlet has also shared screenshots showing alleged threats from individuals who, according to Gaylan Media, warned that the Page would be disabled again following its restoration. The individuals identified by the affected parties have not been independently established as responsible for the subsequent disablement.
Munasar Mohamed has experienced a series of restrictions. His personal Facebook profile was falsely memorialised last week, despite him being alive. His Facebook Page was subsequently restored two days ago, but was disabled again this morning. Munasar has provided videos and screenshots concerning individuals he believes are involved in the repeated targeting of his account and threats against him. The material has been shared with Meta for review.
The Facebook Page of Shiine Culey, a Somali journalist and political analyst, also remains disabled. SOMWA reported his case to Meta on September 16 and requested that the Page be investigated and restored if no violation was found. The Page has not yet been reinstated.
Other journalists and media figures, including Ali Adan Muumin, Mohamed Abdi Muudey and Zakariye Timacade, have also reported restrictions affecting their Facebook presence, adding to concerns among Somali media professionals about a broader pattern of account and Page disruptions.
SOMWA Executive Director Maryan Seylac said the repeated restrictions were increasingly concerning, particularly because journalists and media actors rely heavily on social media to communicate with the public.
“These incidents affect not only the individuals involved but also their ability to communicate with the public and contribute to access to information,” Seylac said.
SOMWA has shared with Meta information and links to accounts identified by affected individuals as potentially connected to some of the incidents and has asked Meta to review their activities and any possible links to the reported cases.
The cases have raised concerns about the potential misuse of Meta’s reporting and enforcement mechanisms to target journalists, media organisations and public commentators. The organisation says that some individuals have allegedly claimed responsibility for, or celebrated, the disablement of accounts belonging to Somali journalists and influencers.
The incidents highlight the growing importance of social media platforms to Somalia’s media environment. For many journalists and media organisations, Facebook is a major channel for distributing news, reaching audiences and participating in public debate.
Repeated or disputed restrictions can therefore have consequences beyond the affected account holders, potentially limiting public access to news and information and creating concerns about the environment in which journalists and public commentators exercise freedom of expression.
SOMWA is calling for the affected accounts and Pages to be individually reviewed and restored where no violation has occurred, while also urging greater scrutiny of potential coordinated or abusive reporting.
The organisation says stronger safeguards and greater transparency are needed to ensure that platform reporting and enforcement systems cannot be exploited to improperly restrict legitimate journalism and public-interest expression.
