Stichting SOLDA Safety Network, a Netherlands-registered online safety organization and TikTok Partner, calls for an urgent, independent and transparent investigation into the alleged misuse of Somali government reporting channels and privileged content removal mechanisms on Facebook and TikTok.

SOLDA Safety Network has received concerning information suggesting that government-authorized reporting mechanisms may have been improperly used to target lawful political expression, independent journalism and public statements by opposition figures and Somalia's Supreme Court Chief Justice, Mr. Baashe Yusuf Ahmed.

According to information received by SOLDA, videos featuring the Chief Justice's public allegations that Somalia's Supreme Court had been attacked and that personnel from the National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA) had taken control of the institution were subsequently removed from Facebook pages operated by several independent Somali media outlets.

The affected outlets reportedly include Radio Shabelle, SMS TV, RTD TV and prominent independent journalists.

The reported removal of the same politically sensitive material from multiple independent media pages raises legitimate concerns about possible coordinated reporting, improper government intervention or abuse of privileged content moderation channels.

However, the precise causes of these removals and the identity of those responsible have not yet been independently established.

Potential abuse of governmental reporting powers

SOLDA expresses particular concern about the possibility that official government email addresses, authorized reporting portals or institutional escalation mechanisms may have been used to facilitate politically motivated content removal requests.

Government access to specialized reporting mechanisms must be exercised lawfully, proportionately and exclusively for legitimate purposes.

Such mechanisms must never be weaponized to silence political opponents, suppress judicial statements or interfere with independent journalism.

SOLDA therefore calls upon the Federal Government of Somalia to conduct an immediate review of the use of official content reporting privileges by all relevant state institutions, including the Ministry of Information, NISA and the National Communications Authority.

The government must ensure that no public official or institution is abusing delegated powers to restrict constitutionally protected expression.

Freedom of political expression is a fundamental human right

SOLDA emphasizes that every individual has the right to express political opinions, criticize government authorities and receive information on matters of public interest without unlawful interference.

Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) protects freedom of expression, including the right to seek, receive and impart information through any media.

Article 9 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights also protects freedom of information and expression.

Restrictions on these rights must comply with applicable requirements of legality, legitimate purpose, necessity and proportionality.

The peaceful expression of political disagreement, publication of judicial statements and legitimate reporting on constitutional disputes cannot, by themselves, justify censorship.

Freedom of expression must be protected equally for government supporters, opposition leaders, journalists and ordinary citizens.

Formal request to Meta and TikTok

SOLDA Safety Network calls upon Meta and TikTok to initiate an independent examination of relevant content removal decisions and any associated government-originated reports concerning Somalia.

Specifically, SOLDA requests that both platforms:

1. Audit government reporting activity: Examine relevant requests submitted through official Somali government email addresses, reporting portals and privileged escalation channels.

2. Investigate the reported removals: Review the removal of videos featuring Chief Justice Baashe Yusuf Ahmed from the Facebook pages of Radio Shabelle, SMS TV, RTD TV and other independent media outlets.

3. Identify potential reporting abuse: Determine whether the affected content was removed following government requests, coordinated mass reporting, automated enforcement or other moderation processes.

4. Preserve relevant evidence: Retain relevant reporting records, submission timestamps, moderation decisions and associated audit trails, in accordance with applicable law.

5. Restore improperly removed content: Reinstate lawful journalistic and political material where an independent review determines that removal was unjustified.

6. Strengthen safeguards: Prevent privileged reporting mechanisms from being exploited for political retaliation, viewpoint discrimination or suppression of legitimate public-interest journalism.

Government accountability and institutional safeguards

SOLDA calls upon the Federal Government of Somalia to ensure that all state institutions exercising content reporting powers remain subject to meaningful oversight, transparency and accountability.

Any credible allegation of misuse of public authority must be investigated impartially, with appropriate corrective action where violations are established.

Abuse of power must never be tolerated, particularly when state institutions are entrusted with mechanisms capable of restricting public access to information.

SOLDA further emphasizes that protecting users against genuine online harms must not become a justification for suppressing legitimate political discourse.

SOLDA Safety Network's position

As an organization engaged in online safety, digital threat monitoring and harmful content reporting, SOLDA recognizes the importance of effective cooperation between governments, civil society organizations and technology platforms.

Nevertheless, such cooperation must be governed by transparency, impartiality, due process and respect for fundamental human rights.

SOLDA maintains that government reporting privileges must be used to address legitimate violations, not to undermine political pluralism or restrict independent media coverage.

No government should be permitted to use digital safety mechanisms as instruments of political censorship.

SOLDA therefore urges Meta, TikTok and the relevant Somali authorities to investigate these allegations, establish the facts and implement effective safeguards against any proven misuse.

The credibility of online safety systems depends upon their independence from improper political influence.

Protecting online safety and defending freedom of expression are complementary obligations, not competing interests.

STICHTING SOLDA SAFETY NETWORK

Issued: 10 November 2026

Editorial and evidentiary note: This statement presents allegations and information received by SOLDA Safety Network. It does not assert that any government institution has been independently proven responsible for the reported content removals. The organization requests an evidence-based investigation to establish responsibility and determine whether abuse occurred.