Sadia had been detained in Mogadishu for more than 70 days before the ruling. She was initially accused of inciting public unrest, organizing unauthorized demonstrations against the government and insulting the country’s leaders.

"We are appealing the ruling of the Banadir Regional Court against Sadia Bajaaj,” said Mohamed Sheikh Osman, one of her defense lawyers. "The court issued a harsh sentence.”

Sadia was arrested by security forces in April and has since been held at Mogadishu’s central prison.

Prosecutors accused her of posting information on social media about how positions in the Banadir regional administration were distributed among clans. They also accused her of organizing public protests against the government.

"It is not a crime to talk about the positions people hold and the clans they come from,” Mohamed Sheikh said.

Another defense lawyer, Ali Halane, said prosecutors had not presented witnesses and that the case relied entirely on video footage.

"Everyone who is shown the videos will make their own interpretation,” he said.

During the trial, Sadia described difficult conditions during her detention. She said that after telling the media she had not eaten, she was placed in solitary confinement for three days.

She also said she had been denied the right to pray and use the toilet.

"When I asked why I was being held in isolation, I was told it was because I had spoken to the media,” she told the court.

Sadia also referred to a video she recorded before her arrest, saying she made it because she feared being targeted and that it was intended as self-defense, not as an attack on any organization.

Prosecutors said her social media posts damaged the reputation of government institutions and attracted international media attention, including coverage by The Guardian.

Her lawyers rejected that argument.

"Sadia does not write for The Guardian, nor is she one of its editors, so she cannot be held responsible for the article,” the defense told the court.

The ruling has drawn wide attention in Mogadishu, where activists and rights groups have raised concern over her detention and prosecution.

Sadia, a Bajaj motorcycle worker and social media activist, is known for criticizing government policies and speaking out on public issues affecting ordinary residents.

Amnesty International previously described her detention as arbitrary and said she was being targeted solely for exercising her right to freedom of expression. The rights group urged Somali authorities to release her or ensure that, pending release, she was held in conditions that met international human rights standards, including access to lawyers, family visits and adequate health care.

Her latest detention was not her first. She was previously arrested March 12 after protesting increased fuel prices and was released four days later following a court appearance.