Human rights violations and abuses in Somalia are a serious and ongoing problem. According to various sources, such as Amnesty Internationalhttps://www.amnesty.org/en/documents/afr52/3315/2020/en/, Human Rights Watchhttps://www.hrw.org/world-report/2022/country-chapters/somaliahttps://www.hrw.org/world-report/2023/country-chapters/somalia, and the US Department of Statehttps://www.state.gov/reports/2021-country-reports-on-human-rights-practices/somalia/, some of the main issues include:
- Unlawful or arbitrary killings, including extrajudicial killings, by government forces, Al-Shabab, and other armed groups
- Torture and cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment by the government and Al-Shabab
- Arbitrary arrest or detention, political prisoners, and lack of fair trials
- Serious abuses in a conflict, including civilian harm, enforced disappearances, abductions, and child soldiers
- Restrictions on free expression and media, including violence, threats, arrests, censorship, and criminal libel laws
- Interference with the freedom of peaceful assembly and association
- Lack of free and fair elections and political participation
- Government corruption and impunity
- Gender-based violence, including rape and female genital mutilation
- Worst forms of child labor, including forced labor and commercial sexual exploitation
The conflict in Somalia has also exacerbated the humanitarian and health crises in the country, with millions of people facing extreme hunger, malnutrition, displacement, and disease.