Hargeisa (SD) – Somaliland’s Independent Human Rights Center has released its 2021 Human Rights Report, highlighting record level of human rights abuses.

Each year the Center records and annually reports on human rights violations and violent crimes against vulnerable members of society between each January to December.

The Center is deeply concerned that this year, 2021, will be the year of the highest number of arrests compared to previous years.

“In this year alone, we have seen an increasing trend of arbitrary arrests, detentions, violations of freedom of expression and a complete misuse of judicial and executive powers granted to officials elected.” Said the report.

Adding “Furthermore, the number of journalists arrested for merely doing their jobs and reporting on the state of affairs of Somaliland has increased. These journalists are not arrested for crimes committed personally, nor have they stolen state secrets but reporting on daily issues facing Somalilanders.”

The current government led by President Bihi has reportedly become the most abusive in Somaliland’s recent history.

READ THE FULL REPORT BELOW