Somali woman says guards tortured her in prison

A 27-year-old woman named Sadia Moalim Ali says she was tortured by guards in a Somali prison. She is being held for participating in peaceful protests and speaking out against the government. Ali described her alleged abuse in an interview from prison.

Ali told The Guardian that two male guards stripped her naked in a room with security cameras. She said they kicked her and hit her with a baton. She was then kept in a small cell for two days without food or water. Ali stated that she was not allowed to use the toilet during that time.

International law and the UN Convention against Torture ban torture. Torture is defined as intentionally causing severe physical or mental pain or suffering. Ali, who has a nursing degree, believes she was punished for speaking to the media about her arrest. She also works as a rickshaw driver.

Ali was arrested on April 12 for her activism. She used social media platforms like Facebook and TikTok to criticize the federal government. She spoke out against alleged corruption, favoritism, forced evictions, joblessness among young people, taxes, and high fuel costs. On April 14, she was moved to Mogadishu central prison, where she remains.

She said she has not been formally charged with any crime. Ali also stated that she has been denied access to a lawyer. While in police custody, she reported being forced to sign a document she did not understand. She was then taken to court.

Amnesty International reported that police have court permission to hold Ali for 90 days while they investigate. Ali spoke to Shabelle Media, a Somali news organization, on April 20. She said she was being held illegally and asked for her release.

Ali believes the torture happened because of this media interview. She said that after speaking to the media before, she was punished the same day. She described the pain inflicted on her as significant.

The room where she was allegedly tortured is called the "cell of death." This name comes from the time when Italy ruled Somalia, before 1941. Former prisoners say this cell is used for punishment and for those facing execution. Reports suggest the floor is covered in oil, salt, and feces. The cell is about two square meters, extremely hot, and has an overwhelming smell that has made people vomit.

Ali is the main provider for her family, including her 11-month-old daughter. She now shares a different cell with 38 other women. She described life there as very difficult, saying it is a place no one should be in.

She said the cell has no ventilation, making healthy people sick. It is also very noisy and crowded. Ali struggles to sleep and has developed kidney problems. She also experiences numbness in her hand and foot. She expressed a strong desire to go home to her family and said she would stop her activism.

Human rights groups have stated that Ali's detention is illegal. They are demanding her immediate release. Ali pleaded for justice and the restoration of her rights and freedom.

Dalmar Dhayow of the Coalition of Somali Human Rights Defenders said women in Somali prisons often face many human rights violations. He stated that sexual assault is used to force women to make false confessions and to humiliate them. Dhayow also mentioned that women are often shackled, with their hands and legs bound, while detained.

Several human rights organizations, former government officials, and a Somali Member of Parliament have called Ali's detention unlawful. Abdirahman Abdishakur, an opposition party leader, posted on X that Ali's imprisonment is a "national disgrace." He criticized President Hassan Sheikh's administration.

Abdishakur wrote that Ali's only "offense" was speaking out against government corruption and favoritism. He stated this is a basic civic right, not a crime. He added that failing to tolerate one woman's voice shows insecurity, not strength.

Since 2022, Somali authorities have been accused of increasing actions against human rights. They allegedly use arrests, detention, harassment, and threats to silence journalists and activists who express different views. The Somali government was contacted for comment but did not reply.