United States Department of State

Somalia: Human Rights United States Department of State

Publisher Marketing: Somalia has a federal government. In May 2012, as part of the process of completing the 2011 Roadmap for Ending the Transition, clan elders nominated the members of the House of the People of the Federal Parliament. Federal parliament members took office in August 2012. In September 2012 parliament elected Hassan Sheikh Mohamud as president. Former Transitional Federal Government (TFG) president and 2012 presidential candidate Sheikh Sharif described the presidential vote as fair and conceded defeat. The regional governments of the self-declared Republic of Somaliland in the northwest and Puntland State in the northeast controlled their respective jurisdictions. On August 27, the federal government and Jubbaland regional leaders agreed to establish the Interim Jubba Administration. Al-Shabaab, a terrorist organization, retained control of many rural areas of the southern and central regions and regained control of Xuddur, the capital city of Bakool Region. Civilian authorities did not maintain effective control over the security forces. Security forces committed human rights abuses. Civilians continued to suffer from conflict-related abuses, including killings, displacement, and the diversion or confiscation of humanitarian assistance by armed groups, principally al-Shabaab. According to the UN, 1,106,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) lived in the country, and approximately one million persons took refuge in other countries by the middle of the year. Severe human rights abuses included killings; restrictions on freedom of the press, including violence against and targeted killings of journalists; and violence and discrimination against women and girls, including rape and female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C). Other major human rights abuses included harsh and life-threatening prison conditions; arbitrary and politically motivated arrest and detention; denial of a fair trial; corruption; trafficking in persons; diversion of humanitarian assistance; forced relocation of IDPs; abuse of and discrimination against minority clans; lack of access for persons with disabilities; social stigmatization of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) individuals; restrictions on workers' rights; forced labor; and child labor.