On 26 June 2026, journalist Mohamed Ali Mohamud (Qadaay) of Iftimiye TV was arrested by the Somali Police Forces in Mogadishu, Banaadir Region, following his journalistic reporting for Iftiimiye TV, including an interview with a Somali police officer who alleged that his salary had been unjustly suspended, his position taken over by another police officer and that he had been forced to work as a construction sector worker to cover his family’s basic needs. The interview concerned a matter of public interest and formed part of the journalist’s routine professional work.

According to information published by Iftimiye TV, the arrest was ordered by Abdifitaah Bashir, Deputy Commander of Kaaraan District Police Station, who reportedly instructed police officers to detain the journalist without presenting an arrest warrant. Mohamed Ali Qadaay was initially held at a location that was not an official police station before being transferred to Kaaraan District Police Station. Iftiimiye TV further reported that, in the days preceding the arrest, the journalist had received threats from Najiib Arab, Commander of the Police Unit known as Birmad, over the publication of the interview. Despite repeated efforts by colleagues and family members to obtain information from the authorities, no legal basis for the detention was provided and family members were informed only that the journalist was being held on orders from higher police officers.

On 28 June 2026, Mohamed Ali Qadaay was released without being formally charged or brought before a court. As documented by Iftimiye TV, the detention was carried out without formal charges, or judicial oversight.