Somalia
Death penalty and prisoners' rights · Archive since 1999
Data card
- Legal status
- Retentionist
- Executions recorded in 2026
- 5
- Executions recorded in 2025
- 15
- First news item in the archive
- JANUARY 1, 1999 · In January, Majertein militia loyal to Mohamed Said...
- News items in the archive
- 477
Source: Hands Off Cain database, updated to 2026.
Somalia is classified as Retentionist in the Hands Off Cain database, updated to 2026. In 2026 the association recorded 5 executions in the country, against 15 the year before. The archive holds 477 news items on Somalia, from 1999 to today.
Latest news
OCTOBER 26, 2023SomaliaDEATH PENALTYSOMALIA: MILITARY COURT SENTENCES GOVERNMENT SOLDIER TO DEATH FOR KILLING COMRADE
The High Court of the Armed Forces in Somalia on October 25, 2023 upheld the death sentence for Constable Mohamed Abdihakin Mohamed Salah Ganey, who was convicted of murdering his fellow soldier.
OCTOBER 24, 2023SomaliaDEATH PENALTYSOMALIA: TWO SOLDIERS EXECUTED BY FIRING SQUAD FOR CIVILIAN MURDER
A firing squad on October 23, 2023 morning executed two Somali soldiers in the southern town of Baidoa.
MAY 20, 2023SomaliaDEATH PENALTYSOMALIA: MILITARY COURT EXECUTES TWO MEN IN BAIDOA
Somali military court in Baidoa executed two men by firing squad in Baidoa on the morning of May 18, 2023.
APRIL 11, 2023SomaliaDEATH PENALTYSOMALIA: 14 AL-SHABAAB MILITANTS SENTENCED TO DEATH IN PUNTLAND
A military court in Puntland on 8 April 2023 sentenced 14 members of the militant group Al-Shabaab, to death.
MARCH 27, 2023SomaliaDEATH PENALTYSOMALIA: MILITARY COURT IN PUNTLAND SENTENCES 10 AL-SHABAAB CONVICTS TO DEATH
The Puntland Armed Forces Court on 26 March 2023 sentenced ten members of Al-Shabaab to death after they were found guilty of carrying out a series of bombings and assassinations in Puntland state, and for being members of the Al-Shabaab network.
MARCH 18, 2023SomaliaDEATH PENALTYSOMALIA: THREE AL-SHABAB MILITANTS EXECUTED
A military court in Somalia on 15 March 2023 executed three al-Shabab militants it said pretended to be a doctor and soldiers to carry out bombings and shootings.
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 PENALTY
SOMALIA: 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.
- NOVEMBER 11, 2022SomaliaDEATH PENALTY
SOMALIA: TEN AL-SHABAAB CONVICTS EXECUTED WITHIN TWO WEEKS
The Somalia military court on 3 November 2022 executed two Al-Shabaab convicts as part of the ongoing fight against the militants who control large swathes of rural central and southern Somalia, making it a total of 10 people to be killed within two weeks
- NOVEMBER 9, 2022SomaliaDEATH PENALTY
SOMALIA: AL-SHABAAB HITMEN EXECUTED A DAY AFTER A DEADLY CAR BOMBINGS
Somalia's military court on 31 October 2022 executed three Al-Shabaab hitmen in the latest move which comes just a day after the militants raided downtown Mogadishu, killing over 100 people while injuring scores.
NOVEMBER 7, 2022SomaliaDEATH PENALTYSOMALIA: TWO ISIS MILITANTS EXECUTED IN MOGADISHU
Somali officials on 26 October 2022 executed two ISIS militants convicted for carrying out assassinations on behalf of the al-Shabab terrorist group, marking the second execution of Islamist militants in a week.
OCTOBER 27, 2022SomaliaDEATH PENALTYSOMALIA: MILITARY COURT EXECUTES TWO AL-SHABAAB CONVICTS
Somali military court on 24 October 2022 executes by firing squad two Al-Shabab operatives in Mogadishu after being found guilty of murdering several people.
- SEPTEMBER 7, 2022SomaliaDEATH PENALTY
SOMALILAND: 4 GET EXECUTED FOR HOMICIDES, 1 CHEATS DEATH
Somaliland government on 6 September 2022 executed four who had been convicted of wanton killing earlier.
SEPTEMBER 6, 2022SomaliaDEATH PENALTYSOMALIA: AL-SHABAAB EXECUTES 5 ACCUSED OF SPYING
The Al-Shabaab on 4 September 2022 executed five men within Jilib town in Middle Jubba, Somalia, over claims that they have been sharing intelligence with the US Africa Command, a team that has been working closely with the Somali National Army [SNA] and
- AUGUST 30, 2022SomaliaDEATH PENALTY
SOMALIA: APPEALS COURT UPHOLDS DEATH SENTENCE OF ISIS TERRORISTS IN PUNTLAND
Four ISIS members failed to have their death sentence overturned in the Appeals Court in the Puntland state of Somalia, GAROWE ONLINE reported on 19 August 2022.
- AUGUST 3, 2022SomaliaDEATH PENALTY
SOMALIA: AL-SHABAB MILITANTS EXECUTE 7 BY FIRING SQUAD
Somali-based militant group al-Shabab on 30 July 2022 executed seven men, including a soldier, in Somalia’s southwestern region of Bay.
JULY 25, 2022SomaliaDEATH PENALTYSOMALIA: MILITARY COURT SENTENCES SOLDIER TO DEATH
Somalia’s Military court on 20 July 2022 sentenced a Military Soldier accused of murdering a civilian to death, SONNA reported.
JUNE 9, 2022SomaliaDEATH PENALTYSOMALIA: BAIDOA COURT EXECUTES CONVICTED MURDERER WHO THREW VICTIM IN THE SEWER
A court in Baidoa town on 7 June 2022 executed a man for killing a businesswoman and then dumping her body in a sewage hole in his house.
MARCH 29, 2022SomaliaDEATH PENALTYSOMALIA: PUNTLAND STATE EXECUTES SOLDIER OVER KILLING
Puntland state in northeastern Somalia on 27 March 2022 executed a government soldier accused of killing a fellow soldier.
MARCH 26, 2022SomaliaDEATH PENALTYSOMALIA: FIVE SOLDIERS SENTENCED TO DEATH IN GALMUDUG
Galmudug Military Court on 24 March 2022 sentenced five members of Galmudug's Police, Army and Paramilitary Forces to death.