Somalia has been without central government since 1991,...

Somalia has been without central government since 1991, when clans ousted dictator Siad Barre and the east African country sank into inter-clan fighting in which tens of thousands died. The jurisdiction of Shari'a courts has been extended to include criminal matters, and decisions by these courts are not open to appeal. The Somali Charter states that laws enacted prior to the 1969 takeover by Siad Barre are in force. This is an amalgamation of various legal systems and traditions. Capital punishment is retained in all existing court systems: Islamic, secular and traditional clan courts. A defendant convicted of murder must pay "blood money" of either 100 camels for a male victim or 50 camels for a female victim. The system is administered by clan elders. At least 10 executions were carried out in 1999.