Somalia: Nuur Aliyare Saide tortured and killed for his faith

The Ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light condemns the arrest, torture, and death of Nuur Aliyare Saide, a peaceful believer, from Kismayo, Somalia. His only crime was exercising his right to freedom of religion by declaring his belief in the Ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light and sharing his faith openly with his family and local community.

In December 2024, Nuur first learned about the Ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light through his fellow believer, Abdi Abdullahi Adan. Both openly discussed the religion and its teachings with their friends and family. Their peaceful expressions of belief would ultimately lead to harassment, criminal charges, and death.

On 10 February 2025, Nuur publicly declared his affiliation with the faith, sharing his beliefs with his family and colleagues at his workplace. Shortly after this declaration, he was arrested and charged with “spreading kufr (disbelief) in the land.” He remained in detention for ten days under extremely harsh conditions. Nuur suffered from high blood pressure and heat-related illness that caused him to faint repeatedly. His physical condition deteriorated rapidly — he became swollen and was nearly paralyzed.

Authorities agreed to release him on bail due to his worsening health, but only after demanding payment. A member of the faith helped secure his release by posting the required bail. After recovering, Nuur continued to speak about the religion with members of his family. On 16 March 2025, he was reported to the police by a sibling and was rearrested at his home. Once again, he was charged with “spreading kufr (disbelief) in the land.”

That same day, Abdi Abdullahi Adan was also arrested while attempting to investigate Nuur’s sudden disappearance. Abdi was known locally for his efforts to share the message of the faith. From 16 to 20 March, there was no communication with either of them. On 21 March, Abdi was able to make contact and confirm that they had both been arrested in the area of Hool Wadaag and were being held in a detention facility known as Fied, in Kismayo. Both men were imprisoned solely for their beliefs.

During their six-day detention, Nuur and Abdi were tortured and subjected to harsh interrogations. Officials questioned them about how they had learned about the religion. When they denied the accusations, Nuur’s brother was brought in as a witness. He claimed that Nuur had been criticizing religious scholars. Following this, Nuur was severely beaten — targeted specifically in the private parts, abdomen, and lower back. After five days of detention, authorities demanded a payment of $1,500 USD per person for their release. Following repeated pleas, the amount was reduced to $1,000 per person.

The following video shows a testimony of the survivor Abdi:

On 22 March 2025, Nuur and Abdi were released. However, Nuur’s health had worsened severely due to the abuse he suffered in custody. Abdi immediately brought Nuur to a pharmacy for pain and high blood pressure medication. They were later referred to the public hospital for further medical care. Between 22 and 29 March, Nuur remained under medical observation. The public hospital eventually referred him to a private facility, where he was admitted for eight days. As the cost of treatment increased, the private hospital refused to continue his care when payment could no longer be made. Nuur was discharged while still in critical condition.

On 29 March 2025, at 8:00 p.m. Somalia time, Nuur died at his home from the injuries sustained in detention and the lack of adequate medical treatment. The next day, on 30 March at 3:30 p.m., his burial was held.

In his final hours, Nuur repeatedly expressed his last wish: “I want to see the Imam. I hope I don’t die until I see the Imam.” His wish was never fulfilled. He passed away shortly after being discharged from the clinic, and his loved ones buried him, mourning his loss and praying for his peace. The Ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light obtained a video recording of his funeral:

Abdi Abdullahi Adan, who is 30 years old and a Somali citizen residing in Kismayo, is married and is the father of eight children. He is now also responsible for the care of Nuur’s widow and child. Abdi was baptized into the faith on 4 March 2025. Speaking in the evening of 22 March 2025 at 8:11 p.m., Abdi recorded his testimony, stating,

“I’ve turned off the light, and behind me there’s just a wall. I am still in physical pain—my head, back, and ribs ache from the beatings I received in prison. I still can’t look directly at bright light due to eye trauma sustained while in custody. The grief I carry is immeasurable.”

On April 16, 2025, Abdullah Hashem Aba Al-Sadiq released a public address honoring the memory of Ibrahim Ramadhan. In the same speech, Aba Al-Sadiq also paid tribute to another follower of the faith who was killed under separate circumstances in Somalia. Afterwards, the Human Rights Department of the Ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light held a conference in the basilica at the UK headquarters, bringing together members of the community to reflect on the events surrounding Ibrahim’s death.

The Ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light holds the Somali authorities fully responsible for the arbitrary arrest, torture, and death of Nuur Aliyare Saide. We call for an immediate and independent investigation into this gross violation of human rights. Those responsible must be held accountable. Religious persecution, extortion, and torture must not be tolerated. The international community must act to ensure protection for those who are targeted for their beliefs and demand justice for the victims and their families.