Banaadir Appeal Court Hears Sacdiya Bajaaj’s Appeal Against Three-Year Prison Sentence

GOOBJOOG NEWS|MOGADISHU: The Banaadir Regional Court of Appeal has begun hearing the appeal filed by Sacdiya Macalin Ali, widely known as Sacdiya Bajaaj, who is seeking to overturn a three-year prison sentence handed down by the Banaadir Regional Court in June.
During Sunday’s hearing, Sacdiya’s defense lawyers presented legal arguments challenging the lower court’s ruling, asking the appellate court to review both the legal basis of the conviction and the sentence imposed.
One of the defense lawyers, Zakariye Ismail Nur, outlined what he described as the legal grounds for the appeal, arguing that the trial court’s decision should be reconsidered. The defense urged the court to examine the issues raised in the appeal before reaching a final determination.
The Court of Appeal is expected to assess the arguments presented by the defense alongside the original judgment before issuing its decision at a later date.
Sacdiya Bajaaj was sentenced to three years in prison by the Banaadir Regional Court in June 2026 after being convicted in a case linked to allegations arising from her activities on social media.
The case attracted significant public attention in Somalia, with supporters and rights advocates closely following the proceedings and raising concerns over issues related to freedom of expression and due process, while prosecutors maintained that the charges were based on violations of Somali law. The appeal hearing marks the latest stage in what has become one of the country’s most closely watched legal cases involving online speech.