Despite the recent deployment of African Union forces in Somalia, in the wake of the renewed conflict between Ethiopian-backed government forces and insurgent groups and in the continued absence of a rule of law, human rights defenders operate in extremely difficult and dangerous conditions. Freedom of expression in both Somalia and Somaliland is very limited. In particular, journalists and civil society leaders are targeted.

The human rights community in Somalia and Somaliland includes journalists, non-governmental organisations, women activists and intellectuals. Human rights defenders in Somalia and Somaliland have been victims of intimidation, judicial harassment, arbitrary arrests and incommunicado detentions, torture, ill-treatment and death threats. There has recently been an escalation in the number of extra-judicial killings of human rights defenders. Press freedom is very limited, with the restriction of activities and/or closure of media houses reporting on human rights abuses. The National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ) was set up in 2002 in Mogadishu to defend journalists and press freedom countrywide. Members of the NUSOJ have been frequently targeted by members of the militia in Somalia due to their work reporting on human right abuses and protecting journalists.