Sunday August 25, 2024
Did Puntland execute minors? UNICEF says yes, authorities say no
FILE - Puntland's Minister of Information, Mahmoud Aydid Dirir at a government event in Garowe.
Mogadishu (HOL) — Puntland authorities have denied allegations made by UNICEF that they executed four individuals who were reportedly minors at the time of their alleged crimes, asserting that all those executed were adults. The executions took place on August 17, when ten men were put to death by firing squad. The court stated that these men were linked to Al-Shabaab and had been involved in killings in Galkayo.
Puntland's Minister of Information, Mahmoud Aydid Dirir, said that the executions were carried out in accordance with legal procedures, including rigorous investigations and multiple reviews. He noted that the convicted individuals were given a three-year window to appeal their sentences.
"The public can be assured that none of those executed were under the age of 30. Their ages and identities were carefully verified to ensure they were adults, and they voluntarily confessed to their crimes," Dirir said.
UNICEF condemned the executions, asserting that the individuals were under 18 years old when they committed the alleged offences. They criticized the use of military courts, which it argued lack the specialized procedures necessary for juvenile cases. The United Nations agency pointed to findings from the Puntland Age Verification Committee, which included representatives from the regional government. "These executions reflect a serious breach of both Puntland's Juvenile Law and Somalia's obligations under the Convention on the Rights of the Child," UNICEF said in a statement.
UNICEF and other human rights organizations have long criticized Puntland and Somalia for their treatment of young militants. They advocate for a shift toward rehabilitative justice rather than capital punishment, particularly for those who were minors at the time of their crimes.
Amnesty International reported a rise in executions in Somalia, with 38 recorded last year compared to just six in 2022.