On May 27, 2025, BBC Somali aired an interview with Mustafe Muhumed Omar (Cagjar), the President of Ethiopia’s Somali Regional State, during his visit to Nairobi. This broadcast has sparked outrage among concerned citizens, journalists, and human rights advocates for its failure to address the serious human rights violations currently unfolding in the Somali Region of Ethiopia.

Instead of upholding the BBC’s legacy of balanced and courageous journalism, the interview served as a soft, uncritical platform for President Mustafe to whitewash his administration’s abuses—including unlawful detentions, systematic torture in Jigjiga prisons, and the brutal massacre in Dawacley that claimed over 150 civilian lives, most of them women and children. He even went as far as denying these atrocities on air, retraumatizing victims' families and silencing dissenting voices.

Even more troubling, the interview ignored pressing questions about freedom of expression, the silencing of the press, and the horrific death of 16-year-old Shaafici Abdikarin Ali, who died after 40 days of torture in custody. The BBC journalist failed to challenge these denials or represent the voices of the victims.

We, the undersigned, call on BBC Somali to:

Publicly review the editorial process that led to this unbalanced broadcast.
Issue a follow-up or correction that centers victims, investigates abuse, and holds the Somali Region government accountable.
Reaffirm its commitment to responsible journalism—particularly in regions suffering from authoritarian repression.
The people of the Somali Region deserve justice, dignity, and accurate media representation. BBC Somali must not be a mouthpiece for the powerful—it must serve the truth.

Sign now to demand accountability and journalistic integrity from BBC Somali.