Arbitrary Detention and Arrest of Opposition Leaders and Journalists

Faye Bogte

Africa and Human Rights Researcher

Global Human Rights Defence

Yasmin Omar H. Mohamoud, on behalf of the Human Rights Centre (HRC), issued a press release on 26 September, 2021, concerning the arbitrary arrests of opposition members and leaders in Somaliland. HRC recorded two cases of opposition leaders being arbitrarily arrested. SaleebanAwale Good, the UCID Deputy Secretary of Information in Awdal region, was arrested in August and has been detained in Boroma Central prison for the past 1,5 month, without a charge and without due process procedures following his criticism in the media. The Deputy Governor of Maroodijex, Wali Abdi Jama was also arrested on 16 September, 2021, after expressing criticism about the President of Somaliland. The HRC is concerned about the increase of arbitrary arrests regarding free speech and freedom of expression in Somaliland, contradicting articles 25(1) and 32(1) of the Somaliland Constitution. 

For further reading and sources:

SomalilandSun (27 September, 2021) Somaliland: Arbitrary Detention and Arrest of Opposition Leaders and Journalists https://www.somalilandsun.com/somalilandarbitrary-detention-and-arrest-of-opposition-leaders-and-journalist/ 

The Constitution of the Republic of Somaliland (2001), https://www.refworld.org/pdfid/4bc581222.pdf, accessed on 12 October, 2021. x