Four young Somali TikTok users have been arrested after sharing a dance video, accused of mocking President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, in what authorities described as a criminal act under national law.
The video, which has since been taken down but continues to circulate on TikTok and other platforms, showed the men dancing to a remixed campaign song originally used in the president’s 2022 election.
The lyrics, however, had been changed to include offensive references directed at the head of state.
Police confirmed that the suspects are in custody and will be formally charged, though they have not spoken publicly since their detention. “Anyone engaging in similar acts that disrespected national institutions or leaders would face the full force of the law,” police spokesman Gen Abdifatah Aden said in a statement.
This is the first time individuals have been detained for targeting a high-level political figure on TikTok, although several influencers have previously faced prosecution for clan-based insults, incitement, or what officials termed immoral online content.
In August last year, a Mogadishu court sentenced seven TikTokers to six months in jail for spreading immorality and fuelling civil unrest.
The arrests have triggered debate across Somalia about the limits of online expression, especially on TikTok, which has become a space for satire, political commentary, and youth-driven discussions.
While some have voiced sympathy for the young men, others argue that freedom of expression cannot justify what they see as disrespect toward national leadership in a country still navigating fragile governance.
TikTok remains one of the most popular platforms among Somali youth and the diaspora, serving both as an entertainment outlet and business tool. However, it has also drawn criticism from authorities for hosting harmful material.
In 2023, the government considered banning the platform over national security concerns, misinformation, and moral decline. The plan was shelved after public backlash, though officials continued to warn about extremist propaganda and defamatory content spreading online.
