Mogadishu (WDN) — Amnesty International has published an interview with Somali social activist and bajaj driver Sadiya Moalim Ali, who is serving a three-year prison sentence in Mogadishu after being convicted in a case the rights organization says is linked to her freedom of expression and participation in peaceful demonstrations. Sadia Moalim Ali: “Not even prison will silence me” – Amnesty International

Amnesty says Sadiya was arrested on April 12, 2026, following comments she made on social media and her participation in peaceful protests. The organization has called for her immediate and unconditional release, arguing that her detention and conviction are connected to her exercise of fundamental rights.

Speaking in an interview conducted inside prison, Sadiya said she does not believe her conviction was based on genuine justice. Instead, she described her imprisonment as retaliation for speaking publicly about the hardships facing ordinary Somalis.

“I believe my arrest and conviction are political and intended to punish me for speaking openly about social issues,” she said. Sadiya said little had changed in her circumstances since her conviction and expressed frustration that peaceful criticism had resulted in a lengthy prison sentence.

Sadiya told Amnesty that she trained as a midwife but repeatedly failed to secure employment in her profession despite submitting several applications. She said she faced significant barriers to employment and believes Somalia’s 4.5 clan-based power-sharing system affected her opportunities because she comes from a minority clan.

After failing to find professional employment, Sadiya said she turned to selling food online before eventually becoming a bajaj driver to support herself and her family.

She said her decision to speak publicly about social and political issues was driven by the problems she encountered in everyday life and the hardships she witnessed among ordinary Somalis.

One of the most painful consequences of her imprisonment, Sadiya said, has been her separation from her daughter. She told Amnesty that her daughter was only one year old and still breastfeeding when she was sentenced. “What hurts me most is being separated from my daughter while she is still so young,” she said.

Sadiya said the separation has caused significant emotional distress for both her and her family. She also claimed that she has not been permitted to see her daughter or other members of her family since her arrest.

Alleged Pressure to Apologize

Sadiya further alleged that, following her conviction, individuals she believed were affiliated with government institutions visited her and pressured her to admit wrongdoing, apologize to Somalia’s president and seek a presidential pardon.

According to her account, she was also allegedly offered release if she agreed to stop speaking publicly about the issues she had been raising.

She said a senior official additionally offered her employment on the condition that she cease her public commentary. Sadiya said she rejected the proposals because she did not want to confess to an offense she maintains she did not commit.

Sadiya also described a number of health problems she says she has experienced during her imprisonment, including kidney problems, asthma, an eye condition and hearing difficulties. She attributed her hearing problems to an injury to her ear sustained during her arrest.

She also complained about poor sanitation inside the prison, saying it had contributed to skin rashes and other injuries. According to her account, she has lost significant weight and has not been allowed adequate access to medical care.

The allegations raise additional concerns about her conditions of detention, although no independent medical assessment was cited in the interview.

Amnesty Demands Immediate Release

Amnesty International has renewed its call for Sadiya’s immediate and unconditional release, describing her detention and conviction as violations of her rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly.

The organization has urged Somali authorities to ensure that individuals are not imprisoned simply for peacefully expressing political or social views or participating in peaceful demonstrations.

Sadiya, meanwhile, said she still has some faith in the judicial system and hopes her appeal can provide an opportunity for an independent review of her case. She said genuine justice would only be possible if an independent judge hears the case and reaches a decision based on the facts and evidence.

Sadiya has appealed to Somalis to speak out against what she describes as an injustice, warning that what has happened to her could happen to others. “If it happened to me today, it could happen to someone else tomorrow,” she said. She also called on the international community to continue raising awareness about her case and supporting efforts to secure her release.

Her case has become another test of Somalia’s commitment to protecting freedom of expression at a time when political tensions remain high and public criticism of government institutions continues to generate controversy. For Amnesty International, the central issue is straightforward: peaceful expression and assembly should not result in imprisonment.

For Sadiya, the stakes are deeply personal—three years behind bars, separation from her young daughter, deteriorating health and uncertainty over whether an appeal will deliver the justice she says she has been denied.

As of publication, there had been no official response from the Federal Government of Somalia to Amnesty International’s latest interview or to the allegations made by Sadiya regarding her arrest, conviction, treatment in prison and the alleged offers made to secure her release.

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