Somaliland: Human Rights Center Condemns the Arbitrary Detention of Ismaacil Cabdilaahi Xuseen and Cabdiqani Sh. Maxamed Sh. Cumar

Human Rights Center is concerned with the egregious abuse of power and arrests of two citizens in borama on July 3^rd, 2021, Ismaacil Cabdilaahi Xuseen, a business man and Cabdiqani Sheik Maxamed Sheik Cumar who is a teacher. The reasons for their arrests coincide with criticizing bodily injuries and harm done to Cabdirisaaq Axmed Gorayo. Cabdirisaaq wrote a criticism on a Facebook post about the minister of agricultural development.

Ismaacil and Cabdiqani have been detained without due process for 38 days. They do not have an arrest warrant nor have they been brought forth to a judge and charges filed against them. Coincidently, there are reports of intimidation against their family members Mahdi Cabdilaahi Xuseen, the brother of Ismaacil Cabdilaahi Xuseen.

The families of the detained citizens have informed the center that the party responsible for their arrest is the Minister of the Somaliland Ministry of Agricultural Development, Axmed Muumin Seed. The arrest of these citizens is against the constitution of Somaliland and against every universal human rights law.

 The constitution of Somaliland Article 32(1) stipulates “Every citizen shall have the freedom, in accordance with the law, to express his opinions orally, visually, artistically or in writing or in any other way.”  Moreover, Article 25(2) of the Somaliland Constitution dictates that “No person may be arrested, searched, or detained, except when caught in flagrante delicto, or on the issue of a reasoned arrest warrant by a competent judge.”

 In addition, article 27(2) specifies that “Any person who is deprived of his liberty because of alleged criminal offences shall have the right to be brought before a court within 48(forty-eight) hours of his arrest.” Lastly, the Human rights Center calls on the Somaliland Government to stop arbitrary arrests, and release the two citizens immediately without condition.

Somaliland government should respect and adhere to the laws governing the country accordingly, and specifically to the Constitution of Somaliland.

Yasmin Omar Haji Mohamoud

Chairperson, Human Rights Centre, Somaliland

Twitter: @hrcsomaliland