Four TikTokers arrested over viral video mocking Somali president
This is not the first time TikTok users have been jailed in Somalia, but it is the first case involving a direct swipe at the president.
Four Somali TikTok users have been arrested for posting a now-viral dancing video on the platform, deemed to have insulted President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud.
The video captured several young men dancing to a remix of a campaign song used by President Hassan in 2022, but the lyrics had been modified to include offensive language directed at the head of state.
According to authorities, the original upload was deleted soon after it began circulating, but copies continue to spread widely on TikTok and other platforms.
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Somali police, the BBC reports, have confirmed that the quartet will be formally charged, though they did not specify the specific offences or when they would appear in court.
Police spokesman, Gen Abdifatah Aden, said the behaviour constituted a criminal offence under Somali law and warned that anyone engaging in similar acts against national institutions or leaders would face prosecution.
This is not the first time TikTok users have been jailed in Somalia, but it is the first case involving a direct swipe at the president.
In August last year, seven TikTokers were sentenced to six months in prison in Mogadishu for allegedly provoking unrest and spreading "immoral" content. Previous arrests have mostly targeted clan-based insults or incitement.
The latest arrests have reignited debate over TikTok's role in Somali society. While critics say the crackdown threatens freedom of expression, others argue that unchecked online behaviour on the platform is fuelling division in a country still struggling with weak governance and insecurity.
TikTok remains one of the most popular platforms in Somalia and among the diaspora, widely used for entertainment and business promotion.
In 2023, the Somali government considered banning it altogether, citing concerns over extremism, misinformation and declining moral values, but shelved the plan after a public backlash.
However, authorities continue to warn that the app is being misused to spread harmful content.
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