The Somali military court announced on Saturday the execution of two government soldiers convicted of civilian shooting on 10th January 2023.
The soldiers were Qasim Duale Abdi who killed Abukar Mohamed Sheikh Nurani (Abirimo) in Mogadishu’s Hamarweyne and Hassan Juulle Shakir who killed Ali Taliye Arif in Bal’ad.
Abukar Mohamed Sheikh Nurani (Abirimo) who had a small business in Hamarweyne District of Banadir Region was shot dead after a dispute over a tax amounting 5,000 Sh.so.
Also, Hassan Juulle Shakir, killed Ali Taliye Arif who was driving a Tuk-Tuk motorcycle.
The soldiers were shot dead by the military court in a clear warning to the forces that are causing harm to the people they are trained to defend them and ensure their safety.
In the past, the Human Rights Watch (HRW) said Somalia’s military court proceedings “fall short of international fair trial standards”. The basic standard helps to protect defendants from being coerced or tortured into confessing.
HRW added that the relatives of defendants and independent observers have very limited access to the hearings, allowing the court to operate without oversight.