The Human Rights Centre strongly condoms the arrest of Mohamoud Mohamed Xaji Ibrahim aka (Jeesto) in Burao by the Somaliland police on 12 April 2022.

He was arrested after a comparson he made between Somaliland police force and Somalia police force. He is a social activist who uses social media to cast light on issues in Somaliland, including the comparison he made where the suggestion was the Somalia police force is more qualified than the Somaliland police force.

This is the second time he has been arrested for expressing his opinion, which is guaranteed to him by Somaliland constitution and international rights.

 He was brought to court on April 16, 2022 and remanded for 14 days. Since then, he has not been brought back to court with charges against him, violating his constitutional right.

He has the right to be freed if he is not charged with a crime within the 48 hours as stipulated by the constitution, indicating a complete lack of due process of law and fair trial procedures in Somaliland, as justice is derailed deliberately, in particularly stated by article 25(1) "No person shall be deprived of his liberty except in accordance with the law.”

On the other hand, and article 32(1) grants citizens the right to express opinions orally, visually, artistically or any methods they so choose.

Human Rights Center is concerned with the reoccurring violations and urges for Somaliland government to immediately release Mohamoud (Jeesto) without condition, grant him his freedom, and uphold and respect the Somaliland constitution and international human rights standards.

Yaasmiin Omar H. Mohamoud

Chairperson of the Human Rights Center

Hargeisa Somaliland

[email protected]

Twitter: @hrcsomaliland