Rape in the Somaliland Presidential Compound

[Somalia]

This is part of my series to highlight a trait of sexual violence conducted at the highest level of the secessionist government of Somaliland.

 

Rape in the Somaliland Presidential Compound

 

 

Axmed Yusuf Yasin, the VP of Somaliland personally ordered that Samsam be taken into custody at once; the ordeal for this 16 year old girl began after such a

command was given by the second most powerful man in the Somaliland authority

.

 

November, 2004

 

16 year old girl raped by dozens of men in the Presidential Compound of the supposed secessionist state of Somaliland.

 

Ask yourself, if this happened in the Presidential Compound, what is going on in the region as a whole?

 

Her uncle was the Minister for Youth and Sports, and even after Amnesty International came out against this unfair and vile act, he supported the heinous crime, saying she was a "spy", her own uncle! This shows the utmost contempt for the rights of women in this region.

 

Amnesty International Public Statement

Zamzam Ahmed Dualeh, sentenced to five years imprisonment on 15 December 2004, with the main charge being "procuring information regarding the security of the state", should be released immediately - or a re-trial, under conditions meeting international standards of fair trial, should take place as soon as possible.

Zamzam Ahmed Dualeh, aged 16, was arrested on 15 August at the Vice-President's house and has been on trial since 4 October with several adjournments. She was alleged to be obtaining secret information about the Vice-President's house on her visit to Hargeisa from Puntland, which is almost at war with Somaliland over disputed border regions. She denied the charge before the regional court in Hargeisa, the capital of Somaliland.

 

Unfair trial

 

Amnesty International considers that her trial was grossly unfair and produced no evidence to substantiate the serious charge of espionage affecting the security of the state.

The judge summarily dismissed her allegations that she had been raped by six police officers from the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) officers and tortured.

 

She was tried as an adult, even though her identity card specifies her age as 16 years, thus a child under the internationally-recognized limit of 18 years. The court claims she is 17. The judge reportedly said that the maximum sentence of ten years imprisonment was reduced on account of her age. After the first weeks of being held incommunicado in police custody, she has been detained in Hargeisa Central Prison (a prison for adults), where she is allowed visits.

 

Two reports and testimony by government doctors, said to have assessed Zamzam Ahmed Dualeh's rape allegations, were provided to the court but not made available to defence counsel. She was reportedly pressured by various government officials and others visiting her in prison to withdraw her rape and torture allegations, on promise of release, which she refused to do. In court, she identified one of the alleged police rapists, a senior Criminal Investigation Department officer, who was giving evidence for the prosecution and claimed she had "confessed" to the alleged conspiracy.

No reply from the government

 

Amnesty International has received no reply to its letter to the Minister of Justice asking for urgent action on concerns about Zamzam Ahmed Dualeh's rights as a child, the judge's failure to institute formal investigations into the rape and torture allegations, and several fair trial issues, including the imprisonment of her defence lawyers.

 

In order to uphold the principles of child rights protection, and also to ensure that she has all necessary medical treatment, Amnesty International on 30 November, publicly requested that Zamzam Ahmed Dualeh be provisionally released, rather than detained in an adult prison for a prolonged and indefinite period.

Amnesty International requested that a fully independent and impartial inquiry be established during the trial into the rape allegations, in particular, including one or more medical professionals experienced in rape investigations, bringing in international expertise as needed.

It requested that, in accordance with international standards, the findings of the inquiry be provided to the court, including defence counsel; and, if the allegations were substantiated, those alleged to be responsible for this serious crime be tried in accordance with procedures which meet international standards of fair trial, and Zamzam Ahmed Dualeh adequately compensated.

 

Amnesty International also expressed concerns about the failure of the court to respect international standards of fair trial,

particularly the non-admissibility of statements

obtained as a result of torture or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment;

the right to legal defence representation; the right of lawyers to perform all of their professional functions without intimidation, hindrance, harassment or improper interference; and the right to trial by a competent and impartial court.

[Alpha Blondy]

loooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooool

[Somalia]

Clearly this is no laughing matter. If Somaliland's former VP was in this, and according to the Amnesty International this was an unfair trial and a 16 year old was subjected to gang rape, one must wonder what happens at the lower levels of government.

[Beer-Gaal]

Xudeedi hadaan waayey illeen waa somalia!. good to have you back sx. this was Horrific incedent when it happen ! i couldn't believe this way dhaqaaday was able to do anything this. but he did it and got a way with it . shame on her adeerkeeda he is/was simply a puppet for the triangle.

[yahya007]

may the almighty punish them for doing this inhuman act on a tenager.

[Somalia]

I agree sxb, may Allah punish them for raping children.