Harassment and intimidation against human rights defender Zakarie Y. Abdirahman
On 1 July 2024, Somali human rights defender Zakarie Y. Abdirahman publicly denounced high-level government corruption and illegal land grabs by powerful Somali officials. The human rights defender’s statements were carried by prominent media outlets, exposing systemic abuses of power in the country. Following the widespread dissemination of the information, the defender received a surge in death threats, allegedly from both state actors and extremist groups, including threats from individuals who claimed to be affiliated with extremist groups.
Zakarie Y. Abdirahman is a human rights defender and the Programme Manager of the Coalition of Somali Human Rights Defenders (CSHRD). For over a decade, he has been engaged in advocacy for the rights of detainees, the documentation of abuses and the provision of support to survivors of torture. His work extends beyond prison advocacy to the empowerment of marginalised communities in Somalia as a vocal advocate for Somalies' resistance against corruption and oppression.
On 1 July 2024, Somali human rights defender Zakarie Y. Abdirahman publicly denounced high-level government corruption and illegal land grabs by powerful Somali officials. The human rights defender’s statements were carried by prominent media outlets, exposing systemic abuses of power in the country. Following the widespread dissemination of the information, the defender received a surge in death threats, allegedly from both state actors and extremist groups, including threats from individuals who claimed to be affiliated with extremist groups.
Zakarie Y. Abdirahman is a human rights defender and the Programme Manager of the Coalition of Somali Human Rights Defenders (CSHRD). For over a decade, he has been engaged in advocacy for the rights of detainees, the documentation of abuses and the provision of support to survivors of torture. His work extends beyond prison advocacy to the empowerment of marginalised communities in Somalia as a vocal advocate for Somalies' resistance against corruption and oppression.
On 1 July 2024, Zakarie Y. Abdirahman publicly denounced the Somali government's corruption, which resulted in a marked escalation in death threats directed towards him. The human rights defender had been confronting an escalating level of reprisals in the wake of his documented advocacy for human rights, notably his submission of a report on the situation in Somalia to the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva. The reprisals have included the revocation of his right to visit prisons on 10 June 2024, which has hindered his ability to monitor the treatment of detainees and advocate for their fair treatment.
In September 2023, the human rights defender had to seek refuge in Kenya due to the escalating threats against him; however, he returned to Somalia to continue his human rights work. Upon his return from Kenya in late October 2023, Zakarie Y. Abdirahman continued to face harassment and was briefly detained by Somali authorities on charges of "disrupting national security" while attempting to document detainee conditions. However, following legal intervention by the CSHRD team, he was released. Subsequently, on 15 December 2023, he received three phone calls and one message, all of which conveyed death threats.
The persecution of Zakarie Y. Abdirahman is indicative of the broader situation affecting human rights defenders in Somalia. State and non-state actors frequently utilise intimidation, harassment, and baseless legal charges to suppress dissent. The aforementioned examples, including Zakarie Y. Abdirahman's temporary detention, the revocation of his right to visit prisons, and the life-threatening harassment he faces, with no repercussions for the perpetrators, serve to instil a sense of intimidation and deterrence within the human rights community.
Front Line Defenders condemns death threats, harassment and intimidation against human rights defender Zakarie Y. Abdirahman. Front Line Defendes believes he is being targeted in retaliation for his legitimate human rights work.
Front Line Defenders calls on the authorities in Somalia to:
- Immediately reinstate Zakarie Y. Abdirahman’s prison visitation rights and ensure his ability to continue his human rights work;
- Provide Zakarie Y. Abdirahman with adequate protection measures to safeguard his life and enable him to carry out his legitimate human rights activities without fear of reprisal;
- Cease all harassment and intimidation against Zakarie Y. Abdirahman and other human rights defenders in Somalia;
- Ensure accountability for those responsible for the threats and harassment against Zakarie Y. Abdirahman.
- Guarantee in all circumstances that all human rights defenders in Somalia are able to carry out their legitimate human rights activities without fear of reprisals and free of all restrictions.
