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. There is an amalgamation of various legal systems and traditions. Capital punishment is retained in all existing court systems: islamic, secular and traditional clan courts.