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
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 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 PENALTYSOMALIA: 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.
JUNE 21, 2017SomaliaDEATH PENALTYSOMALIA: MILITARY COURT SENTENCED DEATH PENALTY TO A MAN ACCUSED KILLING OF A CLERIC
Military court has sentenced Mohamed Adan Borow, to death penalty after he alleged the killing of a famous cleric in Baidoa mosque.
- JUNE 19, 2017SomaliaDEATH PENALTY
SOMALIA: SUSPECT SENTENCED TO DEATH OVER THE LATE MINISTER ABASS SIRAJ’S MURDER
The High Court of the Somali Armed Forces passed a verdict of death sentence this morning to one of the suspects for the murder of Abass Siraj, a former Federal Minister of Public Works and Reconstruction of Somalia.
MAY 28, 2017SomaliaDEATH PENALTYSOMALIA: AL SHABAAB STONE A MAN TO DEATH FOR ADULTERY
Al Shabaab fighters in Somalia stoned a man to death as a punishment for committing adultery.
- MAY 27, 2017SomaliaDEATH PENALTY
SOMALIA: 5 INSURGENTS SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR ATTEMPTED BOMBINGS
A Somali court sentenced five men to death after they were caught with a vehicle laden with explosives, a court official said, a rare successful prosecution in a country where bombings by the Islamist insurgency are increasing.
- MAY 18, 2017SomaliaDEATH PENALTY
SOMALI: MILITARY COURT EXECUTES MAN INVOLVED IN MOGADISHU MARKET EXPLOSION
A Somali military court has executed a man who was accused to be involved in a car bomb attack at garden market in Waberi district in Mogadishu.
- MAY 18, 2017SomaliaDEATH PENALTY
SOMALIA: AL-SHABAB CUTS OFF HANDS OF 2 MEN CONVICTED BY SHARIA COURT
Somalia's al-Shabab publicly cut off the right hands of two men after a sharia court convicted them of breaking into a shop and stealing about $500, the al-Qaida-linked group said.
MAY 2, 2017SomaliaDEATH PENALTYPUNTLAND: BOYS EXECUTED FOR ALLEGED TERRORISM
Puntland is under criticism following the execution of some children suspected to be members of the Al-Shabaab terror group.
- APRIL 24, 2017SomaliaDEATH PENALTY
SOMALIA: FOUR MILITANTS EXECUTED BY FIRING SQUAD IN BAIDOA CITY
Somali military court executed four suspects linked to Al- Shabaab for carrying out blasts in the town of Baidoa, the administrative capital of Southwest last year.
- APRIL 22, 2017SomaliaDEATH PENALTY
SOMALIA: MILITARY COURT EXECUTES POLICE OFFICER FOR KILLING CIVILIAN
Somali Military Court executed a police officer in Mogadishu for killing a civilian last year, Somaliupdate reports.
- APRIL 8, 2017SomaliaDEATH PENALTY
SOMALIA: PUNTLAND MILITARY COURT EXECUTES 5 SUSPECTS LINKED TO AL SHABAAB
A military court in Somalia’s semi-autonomous region of Puntland executed five alleged Al Shabaab members in the Gulf of Aden port city of Bossaso, Garowe Online reports.
- MARCH 13, 2017SomaliaDEATH PENALTY
SOMALIA: AL-SHABAAB MILITANT BEHIND BOMBING SENTENCED TO DEATH
A Somali military court sentenced an Al-Shabaab militant to death and two others to 15 years in jail after convicting them of being behind a deadly bomb attack on November 26, 2016.
- FEBRUARY 13, 2017SomaliaDEATH PENALTY
PUNTLAND: MILITARY COURT SENTENCES 7 HARAKAT SHEBAB OPERATIVES TO DEATH
Somalia’s Puntland military court has sentenced seven Harakat Shebab operatives also known as Al-Shabaab to death penalty.
- JANUARY 1, 2017SomaliaDEATH 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.
- NOVEMBER 20, 2016SomaliaDEATH PENALTY
SOMALIA: PUNTLAND COURT SENTENCES TWO MEN TO DEATH FOR ISIL LINKS
A military court in the northeastern semi-autonomous state of Puntland sentenced two men to death for allegedly being Islamic State members.
- NOVEMBER 1, 2016SomaliaDEATH PENALTY
SOMALIA: MP - AL SHABAAB 'BEHEADS 5 CIVILIANS' IN TIYEGLOW TOWN
A member of Somali parliament Mohamed Hussein Isack known as Afarale said Al shabaab fighters have
- OCTOBER 13, 2016SomaliaDEATH PENALTY
SOMALIA: AL-SHABAAB MILITANTS KILL '2 SPIES'
Al-Shabaab militants shot dead a Kenyan and a Somali for alleged espionage in front of hundreds of people
SEPTEMBER 6, 2016SomaliaDEATH PENALTYSOMALIA: AL-SHABAAB BEHEADS TWO ELDERS FOR 'SUPPORTING THE GOVERNMENT'
Two Somali elders have been beheaded by jihadist group Al-Shabaab after they were abducted from their
- JULY 24, 2016SomaliaDEATH PENALTY
SOMALIA: SOMALILAND COURT SENTENCES 8 TO DEATH
A military court in breakaway Somaliland has issued verdicts for 16 people accused of responsibility and
- JULY 13, 2016SomaliaDEATH PENALTY
SOMALIA: AN ELDERLY MAN BEHEADED IN HIIRAAN REGION
Al-Shabaab fighters blamed for beheading of an elderly man at a small rural village in central Somalia,
- JULY 7, 2016SomaliaDEATH PENALTY
SOMALIA: AL-SHABAAB PUBLICLY EXECUTED TWO MEN
The Al Qaeda-affiliated Al-Shabaab fighters in central Somalia publicly executed two men by firing squad in