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
MAY 9, 2018SomaliaDEATH PENALTYSOMALIA: WOMAN STONED TO DEATH AFTER AL-SHABAB CONVICTION
The Somalia-based extremist group al-Shabab says it has stoned to death a woman accused of marrying 11 men.
MARCH 18, 2018SomaliaDEATH PENALTYSOMALIA: RIVAL CLANS SECURE PEACE WITH DEATH SENTENCES AND HEFTY FINES
Two rival Somali clans have signed up to a groundbreaking peace deal which aims to end the cycle of revenge killings.
FEBRUARY 20, 2018SomaliaDEATH PENALTYSOMALIA: NAVY OFFICER SENTENCED TO DEATH OVER COMMANDER’S KILLING
A Somali military court passed a death sentence to a Navy soldier Abdinasir Hosh Mohamed for the killing of Deputy Commander Said Ali Dhere, Radio Dalsan reports.
FEBRUARY 6, 2018SomaliaDEATH PENALTYSOMALIA: ONE DEATH SENTENCE OVER OCT. 2017 MOGADISHU ATTACK
A military court in the Somalia capital Mogadishu has sentenced a man to death for his role in the suicide bomb attacks in October 2017.
JANUARY 3, 2018SomaliaDEATH PENALTYSOMALIA: FIVE ACCUSED OF TERROR ATTACK ARE SENTENCED TO DEATH
The Somali Military Court sentenced five defendants to death for participating in the October 14 attack that caused 512 deaths, attributed by the government to the terrorist group Al Shabab.
- JANUARY 1, 2018SomaliaDEATH PENALTY
The penal code of Somalia represents an amalgam of various legal systems and traditions.
The penal code of Somalia represents an amalgam of various legal systems and traditions.
DECEMBER 20, 2017SomaliaDEATH PENALTYSOMALIA: ALSHABAAB BEHEADS THREE PEOPLE IN BAKOL REGION
Reports that reached Radio Dalsan from Bakol region say that Al-Shabab has beheaded three people in the area.
DECEMBER 5, 2017SomaliaDEATH PENALTYSOMALIA: MILITARY COURT HANDS DEATH SENTENCE TO SHABAAB MILITANT, JAIL TERMS TO 3 OTHERS
One Al-Shabaab militant was sentenced to death while three others were condemned to serve jail terms after a military court found them guilty of involvement in hotel explosions within the city.
- NOVEMBER 4, 2017SomaliaDEATH PENALTY
SOMALIA: ISLAMIST INSURGENTS EXECUTE FOUR ALLEGED SPIES
Somalia’s Islamist al Shabaab insurgency shot four men accused of spying in a public execution that underscored the insurgents’ control of swathes of the country’s southern region, even as the government girds up for an offensive against them.
AUGUST 6, 2017SomaliaDEATH PENALTYSOMALIA: HIGHER COURT SENTENCES DEATH, LIFE IMPRISONMENT TO CLERIC'S KILLERS
The High Court of Somali military has turned down appeal by al-Shabaab assassins convicted of killing a known cleric in the southern town of Baidoa in last June, Garowe Online reports.
- JULY 21, 2017SomaliaDEATH PENALTY
SEVERAL PRISONERS SHOT DEAD IN SOUTHERN SOMALIA
Four detainees were said to be shot dead at a location near the Central Police Station in Beled-Hawa District in Gedo region, according to reports.
JULY 7, 2017SomaliaDEATH PENALTYPUNTLAND: MILITARY COURT ISSUES DEATH SENTENCES TO AL-SHABAAB SUSPECTS
The military court of Somalia’s northeastern region of Puntland, has issued death sentences and life imprisonment to 5 al-Shabaab suspects accused on terrorism charges, Garowe Online reports.