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
MARCH 9, 2023SomaliaDEATH PENALTYSOMALIA: MILITARY COURT IN PUNTLAND EXECUTES 19 MEN BY FIRING SQUAD
Nineteen men were executed on 8 March 2023 by Puntland's military court.
FEBRUARY 21, 2023SomaliaDEATH PENALTYSOMALIA: FOUR SOLDIERS EXECUTED BY FIRING SQUAD
Four Somali officials, including from the military, police and the National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA) were executed on 2 February 2023 by firing squad in the nation’s capital of Mogadishu.
FEBRUARY 20, 2023SomaliaDEATH PENALTYSOMALIA: MILITARY COURT EXECUTES TWO SOLDIERS FOR CIVILIAN KILLING
Two Somali officials were executed on 18 February 2023 by firing squad in the nation’s capital of Mogadishu.
JANUARY 19, 2023SomaliaDEATH PENALTYSOMALIA: TWO AL SHABAAB MILITANTS SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR MURDERING POLICE OFFICER
Two Al Shabaab members were sentenced to death on 17 January 2023 in Somalia for their role in the October 2022 murder of a government security official.
JANUARY 19, 2023SomaliaDEATH PENALTYSOMALIA: MILITARY COURT SENTENCES AL-SHABAAB 'DOCTOR’ ABDI JIROW TO DEATH
A Somali court on 19 January 2023 sentenced a top operative of Al-Shabaab to death, dealing another blow to the terror group that has recently been chased out of most towns.
- JANUARY 16, 2023SomaliaDEATH PENALTY
SOMALIA: SOLDIER SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR CIVILIAN KILLING
A Somali soldier - Qasim Duale Abdi - was sentenced to death on 15 January 2023 for killing a civilian after refusing to pay him extortion, an army officer said.
JANUARY 12, 2023SomaliaDEATH PENALTYSOMALIA: EX-ARMY OFFICER SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR ROLE IN MOGADISHU BOMBINGS
The Court of the Armed Forces of Somalia has sentenced to death a former army official – Sharif Mohamed Barkhadle Ayanle for his role in Mogadishu blasts, Shabelle Media reported on 12 January 2023.
DECEMBER 15, 2022SomaliaDEATH PENALTYSOMALIA: MILITARY COURT SENTENCES AL-SHABAAB CONVICT TO DEATH
A military court in Mogadishu on 12 December 2022 sentenced a suspected al-Shabaab member to death amid the government stepped up operation against the group in south-central Somalia.
- NOVEMBER 24, 2022SomaliaDEATH PENALTY
SOMALIA: POLICE OFFICER WHO KILLED MAN OVER CIGARETTE LIGHTER GETS DEATH PENALTY
A Somali military court has sentenced to death a police officer convicted of killing a civilian following an argument over a cigarette lighter, The East African reported on 24 November 2022.
- NOVEMBER 22, 2022SomaliaDEATH PENALTY
SOMALIA: TWO FORMER GOVERNMENT SOLDIERS EXECUTED
The Somali military court on 17 November 2022 executed two former government soldiers by firing squad for murders committed in Kismayo.
NOVEMBER 21, 2022SomaliaDEATH PENALTYSOMALIA: FORMER SOLDIERS EXECUTED BY FIRING SQUAD IN KISMAYO
Somali military court executed two former government soldiers in Kismayo on November 19, 2022 after they were convicted of killing a civilian and another soldier, the regional state media reported.
- NOVEMBER 12, 2022SomaliaDEATH PENALTY
SOMALIA: MILITARY COURT EXECUTES BY FIRING SQUAD AL-SHABAAB OPERATIVE IN GALKAYO
Somalia military court on 1 November 2022 executed by firing squad an Al-Shabaab operative in a public square in Galkayo, the capital of the Mudug region.