Mosque of Islamic Solidarity in Mogadishu, Somalia. (Hiram A. Ruiz, Creative Commons)

NAIROBI, Kenya (Morning Star News) – The Muslim uncle of a 20-year-old woman in Somalia has confined her to his home, where he has beaten her and deprived her of adequate food and water for converting to Christianity, sources said.

Mariam Fatuma has lost significant weight and become noticeably pale, raising concerns about her health, sources said. She has lived with her uncle in a town in southern Somalia undisclosed for security reasons since her parents separated years ago.

Fatuma put her faith in Christ on Feb. 15 following contact with an outreach ministry. She was at home on Sept. 27 when her uncle’s daughter discovered her praying in Christ’s name, severely rebuked her and told her not to speak of Christ to other family members, sources said.

When Fatuma began crying over the rebuke, other family members learned of her conversion. Her uncle learned of her faith that day and viewed it as an act of disrespect toward him, his family and the wider Muslim community, sources said.

Fatuma has been confined to a room at her uncle’s home since Sept. 27 under life-threatening conditions, the sources said, and he has told her she will remain there until her father can be reached and consulted.

After separation from his wife, her father remarried and established another household.

Relatives pressured Fatuma to reveal the person who introduced her to Christianity, but she refused to do so, a source said.

“When brought before a family member for punishment, she said she would not disclose the person’s identity even if she were physically harmed,” the source said.

After receiving Christ, Fatuma became increasingly open about her faith with friends and distant relatives, seeking opportunities to tell them about her beliefs, the sources said.

Those trying to help her said she has remained committed to her Christian faith and has also expressed desire to remain connected to her family despite the conflict, saying, “We can live together and die together.”

The members of an area underground fellowship in Somalia were concerned about Fatuma’s welfare, saying her immediate needs include physical safety, adequate food and water, medical attention and protection from further violence and unlawful confinement.

They also cautioned that any effort to assist her should take into account risks associated with exposing her location or identifying people who may be supporting her.

Members of the fellowship requested prayer for protection, physical recovery and an opportunity for Fatuma to receive assistance and continue her life safely.

Somalia ranked No. 2 on Christian support group Open Doors’ 2026 World Watch List of the 50 countries where it is most difficult to be a Christian. The country’s constitution establishes Islam as the state religion and prohibits the propagation of any other religion, according to the U.S. State Department. It also requires that laws comply with sharia (Islamic law) principles, with no exceptions in application for non-Muslims.

The death penalty for apostasy is part of Islamic law according to mainstream schools of Islamic jurisprudence. An Islamic extremist group in Somalia, Al Shabaab, is allied with Al Qaeda and adheres to the teaching.

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