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 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 PENALTY
SOMALIA: 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.
JANUARY 21, 2019SomaliaDEATH PENALTYSOMALIA: MILITARY COURT SENTENCES ARMY OFFICER TO DEATH
Somali military court on 17 January 2019 sentenced military army officer to death after finding him guilty of murdering a police officer in Mogadishu on 6 October 2018, officials said.