The arbitrary detention of Ahmed Mohamed Abdi in Hargeisa, Somaliland

By: Human Rights Centre

The Human Rights Centre condemns the arbitrary detention of Ahmed Mohamed Abdi Daud. Ahmed was arrested and accosted at the Kaah Political Organization office on November 24, 2022. Ahmed is a dedicated political activist who actively posts satire commentary on Facebook and a member of Central Council of Kaah political party.

He was arrested for making a series of Facebook posts concerning the President’s alleged involvement in the Khat business. Ahmed was followed by a pickup car while entering the premises of Kaah Political Organization office when men wearing civilian clothes who are notorious intelligence officers and a presidential guard forcefully entered the premises, while jumping over the gate.

The men did not identify themselves nor did they show their identification to Ahmed Mohamed Abdi Daud. Ahmed Abdi asked them for a warrant for his arrest, to which they replied in an accusatory manner “why did you insult the president”.  In the process of apprehending Ahmed Abdi, he sustained injuries to his left hand and bruises around his mouth while defending himself in the attack by the plain-dressed men. Video taken of the attack shows the plain clothed men yielding a pistol. Shortly after, three police cars with over a dozen police officers came and took Ahmed Abdi to Ibrahim Koodbur police station. Ahmed Abdi Daud posted bail on November 27,2022, where the police demanded from the courts to hold him further, despite failing to prove or present reasonable grounds to hold or charge him with an offense only to be re-arrested on November 28, 2022.  He is in custody and remanded as of December 5, 2022.

We have seen an increasing trajectory of arrests by an informal intelligence unit in a coordinated efforts to silence critics of the President. The Human Rights Centre believes this is a complete abuse of power, as Ahmed Mohamed Abdi has not been charged with a crime or offense, creating a system that violates and abuses Ahmed’s constitutional and human rights such as the inability to have a fair trial. Allegations of impropriety by the President’s son has been catalogued in mass arrests, as recently as the June and August political protests that took place across the region in Somaliland, along with other crimes coordinated by the informal unit, including but not limited to arrests, pro-longed detention, beatings, and torture, according to family members and eyewitnesses.

The Human Rights Centre urges for his immediate release and demands an investigation on the condition of Ahmed Abdi Daud and others detained arbitrarily, and in order to assure fair judicial process exists is to guarantee respect for periods of detention as prescribed by Somaliland constitution Article 27 subsection 2 and set by international human rights standards.

Yasmin Omar H. Mohamoud​

Chairperson of the Human Rights Center​

Hargeisa, Somaliland​

hrcsomaliland@gmail.com ​

Twitter: @hrcsomaliland