Somalia: Human Rights Situation Quarter IV Report 2024
By the Coalition of Somali Human Rights Defenders (CSHRD)
Contents
1. Introduction
2. Methodology
3. Executive Summary
4. Key Findings
5. Recommendations
6. References
Topics Covered
Targeted Killings of HRDs / WHRDs
Armed Conflicts in Ceerigaabo, Dacawaley, Raaskambooni, and Doolow
Prisoners of War in Las Anod
Torture and Sexual Torture in Detention Facilities
Al-Shabaab Targeted Attacks Against Civilians and State Targets
Ethiopia’s Illegal Arms Shipments to Different Groups in Somalia
Introduction
This report offers a detailed analysis of the human rights situation in Somalia during the fourth quarter of 2024. The Coalition of Somali Human Rights Defenders (CSHRD) aims to spotlight the ongoing violations against HRDs, civilians, and vulnerable groups amidst intensifying armed conflicts and political instability.
Methodology
The findings presented are based on a combination of:
Field Research: Site visits to conflict zones and detention facilities.
Interviews: Direct testimony from survivors, HRDs, and affected families.
Secondary Sources: Reports from national and international NGOs, UN agencies, and verified media outlets.
Data Verification: Cross-referenced information to ensure reliability and credibility.
Executive Summary
The human rights landscape in Somalia deteriorated significantly during this quarter, marked by:
Systematic targeting of HRDs/WHDs, resulting in deaths, enforced disappearances, and forced exile.
Escalating armed conflicts in key regions, exacerbating displacement and casualties.
Violations of international humanitarian law, including torture, extrajudicial killings, and denial of fair trial rights.
State complicity in human rights abuses, including Ethiopia’s alleged involvement in arms transfers.
Key Findings
1. Targeted Killings of HRDs / WHRDs
Human rights defenders, particularly WHRDs, faced targeted attacks due to their activism. At least 15 defenders were killed, and dozens were harassed, detained, or forced into exile. For instance; Somali-Swedish journalist Amun Abdullahi who investigated al-Shabaab recruitment shot dead in Somalia. Somali-Swedish award-winning journalist, Amun Abdullahi Mohamed.
The Somali Journalists Syndicate (SJS) strongly condemns the killing of an award-winning Somali-Swedish woman journalist Amun Abdullahi Mohamed in a small village in Somalia’s Lower Shabelle region on Friday, 18 October, and demands a full investigation into the incident.
According to local journalists and a security source, Amun Abdullahi Mohamed was shot multiple times in the head by two gunmen suspected to be al-Shabaab militants as she walked to her sorghum and watermelon farm in Abdula Biroole village on Friday. Abdula Biroole, a village under the jurisdiction of the Afgoye district, Lower Shabelle region, is approximately 40 km (24 miles) southwest of the Somali capital, Mogadishu.
Local journalists, who spoke to SJS on condition of anonymity for fear of safety, said that Amun was approached by two men with AK-47s who had covered their faces, confirmed her name, and then fired multiple shots at her head, killing her instantly.
A security official in Afgoye district told SJS that the assailants were al-Shabaab militants and that authorities are aware the area is under the control of the militants.
“No police were sent to the area as it was not safe for them,” the officer said.
Amun, 49 years old, relocated from Sweden and resettled in the small rural village, where she lived with her extended family members. She also started a farming project producing sorghum and watermelon, which provided employment for locals. A local journalist told SJS that she also cared for extended family members who live in the village.
Amun’s journalism gained prominence in the early 1990s after she fled Somalia and sought asylum in Sweden, where she worked for the Swedish Somali language radio (Sveriges Radio). In 2010, she received the Swedish Publicist Club’s Freedom of Speech Award in memory of Anna Politkovskaya. This recognition followed her groundbreaking investigative journalism exposing al-Shabaab’s recruitment of young people from the Stockholm suburb of Rinkeby to fight in Somalia. Amun’s investigative reporting led to her receiving death threats, according to colleagues who worked with her and news reports.
Despite these threats, Amun chose to resettle in Somalia a few years ago, ultimately settling in Lower Shabelle. Local officials in Afgoye confirmed that no investigation has begun yet.
Amun is the second journalist killed in Somalia in 2024 after the killing of journalist Abdikarin Ahmed Bulhan in March, and the fifth journalist killed in recent years in Lower Shabelle, one of the most dangerous places for journalists, according to documentation by SJS and the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ).
Previous cases include:
On 16 February 2020, freelance TV and radio journalist Abdiwali Ali Hassan (known as Abdiwali Online) was shot dead in Afgoye town by gunmen.
On 14 August 2019, Abdinasir Abdulle Ga’al, a camera journalist with Somali National Army Radio, was killed in a car bomb attack by al-Shabaab at an army base in Awdheegle.
On 27 October 2018, Abdullah Mire Hashi, a journalist with Radio Darul Sunnah, was gunned down by armed assailants in Elasha Biyaha, a suburb of Afgoye.
On 1 January 2009, local radio journalist Hassan Mayow Hassan was killed in Afgoye town by gunmen.
SJS calls for a full investigation into the killing of Amun Abdullahi Mohamed to bring the perpetrators to justice. We urge Somali authorities to initiate an investigation into those responsible for Amun’s death. We also call on the Swedish government to support efforts to investigate and apprehend the killers so they can be held accountable. We mourn with Amun’s family and community as they go through this difficult time, and we pray for strength and comfort for them. Inna Lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji’un. (Indeed, we belong to Allah, and indeed, to Him we will return.)
“Inna Lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji’un. We are indeed shocked by the assassination of yet another journalist in Somalia. We condemn in the strongest terms the brutal killing of Amun Abdullahi Mohamed. Amun, who lived in Sweden decided to return to her home country despite the reported death threats she faced. After he return she contributed to her community through a farming project that helped not only those around her but the community as well,” said SJS Secretary General Abdalle Mumin.
“We urge Somali authorities to conduct a swift and thorough investigation to bring those responsible to justice. This tragedy underscores the urgent need for greater protections for journalists across Somalia, as only by ending the impunity for crimes against journalists can we ensure their safety. Therefore, we call upon all stakeholders, including Somali authorities and the international community, to stand with us in demanding accountability and safeguarding journalists in Somalia,” Mr. Mumin adds.
2. Armed Conflicts
Ceerigaabo and Dacawaley: Clan-based conflicts caused over 200 fatalities and displacement of approximately 5,000 civilians.
Raaskambooni and Doolow: Federal-regional tensions escalated into armed confrontations, leaving 100+ dead and disrupting humanitarian access.
3. Prisoners of War in Las Anod
The treatment of prisoners in Las Anod violates international conventions, with detainees subjected to physical and psychological torture, prolonged detention without charge, and lack of legal representation and the situation is similar for the POWs detained by Hargeisa.
4. Torture in Detention Facilities
State and non-state actors employed torture as a tool of intimidation. Victims, including women and minors, reported sexual violence, beatings, and inhumane conditions in detention centers in all over Somalia.
5. Al-Shabaab Targeted Attacks
Al-Shabaab intensified attacks on civilian and state targets, killing over 200 civilians and injuring hundreds more. Their operations disrupted education, healthcare, and essential services in several regions.
6. Ethiopia’s Illegal Arms Shipments
Evidence suggests Ethiopia’s involvement in providing weapons to warring factions, fueling the conflict and violating international arms embargoes.
Recommendations
1. For the Somali Government:
Strengthen legal protections for HRDs and WHRDs.
Investigate and prosecute perpetrators of torture and targeted killings.
2. For International Community:
Establish independent monitoring mechanisms for illegal arms transfers by Ethiopia, Yemen (Houthis) and the UAE
Increase funding for humanitarian aid and HRD relocation programs.
3. For Civil Society Organizations:
Enhance documentation of human rights abuses.
Expand advocacy efforts for accountability and justice.
References
United Nations Special Expert On Somalia:-
As of December 2024, the UN Special Expert on the Situation of Human Rights in Somalia, Isha Dyfan, has expressed concerns about the ongoing restrictions on civic space in Somalia. Despite some positive developments, the expert notes that the environment for civil society organizations (CSOs) and independent media remains challenging.
Key Concerns:
Harassment and intimidation: CSOs and journalists continue to face harassment, arbitrary arrest, detention, and imprisonment, leading to self-censorship and a shrinking of civic space.
Lack of protection: Victims of human rights violations, including sexual and gender-based violence, are not adequately protected, and perpetrators are often not held accountable.
Restrictions on freedom of expression: Journalists and media workers are subjected to arbitrary taxation, bureaucratic hurdles, and physical constraints, limiting their ability to operate freely.
Inadequate investigation and prosecution: Cases of human rights violations, including sexual and gender-based violence, are not investigated and prosecuted efficiently, perpetuating impunity.
International reports –
https://www.securitycouncilreport.org/monthly-forecast/2024-12/somalia-38.php
Verified Testimonies from HRDs and Survivors (2024).
– The CSHRD has interviewed and collected of 100 HRDs & Survivors both in Somalia and in exile
CSHRD Field Data and Analysis (October–December 2024).
https://cshrds.org/voice-of-truth-the-tragic-assassination-of-amuun-abdullahi/
https://cshrds.org/alert-un-special-rapporteur-on-hrds-situation-supports-hrds-at-risk/
Media Reports from Horn Afrik News Agency and other media outlets
–https://hanahr.net/a-voice-silenced-a-legacy-unbroken-the-tragic-assassination-of-amuun-abdullahi/
https://sverigesradio.se/artikel/former-radio-sweden-journalist-shot-dead-in-somalia
African Union Peace and Security Council (AUPSC) Briefings.
Post-ATMIS Transition (2024):
The AUPSC discussed the transition from ATMIS to a new mission, African Union Support and Stabilisation Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM), during its 1225th session on August 1, 2024.
Egypt pledged to contribute troops to AUSSOM, and Somalia signed a bilateral defense agreement with Egypt.
Ethiopia expressed concerns about the developments and their implications for regional peace and security, emphasizing the need for the AU to engage Troop Contributing Countries (TCCs) in the planning process.
Security Transition and Funding (2024):
The AUPSC underscored the importance of predictable, sustainable, and flexible financing for AUSSOM, reiterating its emphasis on using assessed contributions for the mission’s funding.
The Council encouraged the Federal Government of Somalia and ATMIS T/PCCs to work together towards ensuring a smooth
https://press.un.org/en/2024/sc15793.doc.htm
Report documented and compiled by the Coalition of Somali Human Rights Defenders CSHRD
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