Human Rights in Somalia

Human rights in Somalia are extremely poor and serious human rights violations are a problem due to the unstable political situation in the country. Somalia has not had a central government since President Mohamed Siad Barre fled the country in 1991. Even during the Siad Barre regime, civil rights violations and oppression had led directly to the Somali Civil War.

Although a Transitional National Government (TNG) was established in 2000 at the Djibouti Conference, followed by the Transitional Federal Government (TFG) in 2004. The TFG authorized the Transitional Federal Charter which guaranteed many civil rights, but the nascent government did not have much authority over the nation to enforce laws or ensure those rights. De facto power is held by the unrecognized independent entity of Somaliland, the autonomous governments of Puntland, Southwestern Somalia, Jubaland, Galmudug, and various warlords.

Some progress in establishment of civil administration was made during the control of south and central Somalia by the Islamic Courts Union (ICU). Certain rights were done away with under strict sharia law, in exchange for a focus on safety and security.

With the military defeat of the ICU, the TFG leaders moved into the capital of Mogadishu at the beginning of 2007.