Detained Somali Activist Allegedly Refuses Meals Over Poisoning Fears

Reports emerging from Mogadishu claim that detained Somali activist Sacdiyo Macallin Ali, widely known as Sacdiyo Bajaaj, has stopped eating while in custody.

According to sources familiar with the matter, Sacdiyo is said to have refused prison meals over concerns that her food could be tampered with or poisoned. The reports come against the backdrop of previous allegations of poisoning incidents at Mogadishu’s central prison, although no evidence has emerged linking those incidents to her current situation.

There has been no official confirmation from prison authorities or the Somali government that Sacdiyo has begun a hunger strike or is refusing food.

On June 25, the Banadir Regional Court sentenced Sacdiyo to three years in prison after finding her guilty of charges including incitement, organizing unauthorized anti-government demonstrations, and insulting senior state officials.

She had been held in detention for more than 70 days before the verdict was delivered.

Sacdiyo is the mother of a young child, and her arrest, prosecution, and prison sentence have drawn criticism from human rights organizations and sections of Somali civil society, which have raised concerns over her case and called for greater protection of civil liberties.