Somalia
2026
- GOVERNMENT
- transitional federal-parliamentary government: there is no permanent national government
- CONSTITUTION
- September 23, 1979
- LEGAL SYSTEM
- there is no national system; a mix of English common law, Italian law, Islamic law, and traditional Somali norms
- LEGISLATIVE SYSTEM
- unicameral, National Assembly
- JUDICIAL SYSTEM
- not operational: following the fall of the National Government, many regions reintroduced Islamic law and Somali customary law, with the possibility of appeal
RELIGIONS
Sunni Muslims
From the country
- JULY 9, 2019SomaliaDEATH PENALTY
SOMALIA: AL-SHABAAB EXECUTES FIVE MEN OVER SPYING CLAIMS IN JUBBALAND
Al-Shabaab militia group on 3 July 2019 executed five Somali men in Hagar area of Lower Jubba region of Somalia on claims of spying.
JULY 8, 2019SomaliaDEATH PENALTYSOMALIA: THREE SOLDIERS EXECUTED BY AL SHABAAB
Three alleged Somali soldiers on 5 July 2019 were hanged in Kurtun Warey town, Lower Shabelle Region, after an Al-Shabaab court sentenced them to death.
- JULY 5, 2019SomaliaDEATH PENALTY
SOMALIA: AL-SHABAAB EXECUTED MAN ACCUSED OF BLACK MAGIC
Al-Shabaab militants on 5 July 2019 executed a man, 35-year old Ali Haaney Ahmed Kaytoy, in Buale town of Middle Shabelle Region after accusing him of practising black magic.
JULY 1, 2019SomaliaDEATH PENALTYSOMALIA: PUNTLAND COURT OKS DEATH SENTENCES AGAINST 3 RAPED 12-YEAR-OLD GIRL
A high court in Somalia's northeastern regional state on 30 June 2019 upheld the death sentence of three men convicted of raping, mutilating and killing of a teenager early this year.
MAY 27, 2019SomaliaDEATH PENALTYSOMALIA: POLICEMAN SENTENCED TO DEATH OVER MURDER
A military court in Mogadishu on 25 May 2019 sentenced Somali police officer to death for killing a rickshaw driver earlier this month.
MAY 21, 2019SomaliaDEATH PENALTYSOMALIA: DEATH FOR 2 SHABAAB MILITANTS AS MILITARY TOP COURT UPHOLDS VERDICT
A military appeals court in Mogadishu upheld the death sentence against two Al-Shabaab militants, one of whom was involved in the Hotel Sahafi attack, that claimed 32 lives last November.
- MAY 13, 2019SomaliaDEATH PENALTY
SOMALIA: PUNTLAND COURT SENTENCES THREE MEN TO DEATH FOR RAPING AND MURDER
A regional court in Puntland on 12 May 2019 sentenced 3 men to death for the rape and murder of a 12-year-old girl, Aisha Ilyas Adan in Galkayo city early this year.
APRIL 30, 2019SomaliaDEATH PENALTYSOMALIA: MILITARY COURT SENTENCES POLICE OFFICER TO DEATH
A Somali military court on 29 April 2019 sentenced a police officer to death, after he was found guilty of murdering a civilian in Mogadishu on 6th January, this year.
APRIL 3, 2019SomaliaDEATH PENALTYSOMALIA: MAN EXECUTED FOR RAPE, MURDER OF GIRL
A man on 5 March 2019 was executed for the rape and murder of an 18-year old girl in a village near the regional capital of Gedo region of the Jubaland Federal State of Somalia.
APRIL 2, 2019SomaliaDEATH PENALTYSOMALIA: AL-SHABAB SAYS IT EXECUTED 4 ACCUSED SPIES
Somalia's al-Shabab Islamic extremist group says it has executed four men accused of spying for the British, Djibouti and Somali intelligence agencies.
- MARCH 22, 2019SomaliaDEATH PENALTY
SOMALIA: MILITARY COURT SENTENCES TWO AL-SHABAB MILITANTS TO DEATH
Somalia's military court on 20 March 2019 sentenced two al-Shabab militants to death for their participation in terrorist attacks and killings.
FEBRUARY 25, 2019SomaliaDEATH PENALTYSOMALIA: MILITARY COURT SENTENCES SOLDIER TO DEATH FOR KILLING CIVILIAN
A military tribunal in Mogadishu has sentenced a government soldier to death for killing a civilian in Mahad district in Middle Shabelle region, south of Somalia, radioshabelle.com reported on 25 February 2019.