Somaliland

Somaliland: Two More Opposition Parties Sponsored Candidates Arrested

04/25/2021

Somalilandsun: Somaliland Security Forces arrested two candidates from UCID and Wadani Political Parties, in Hargeisa.

Sources confirmed the Election Monitoring Office of Center for Policy Analysis that Qaasin Adan Saleban a parliamentary candidate of Sool Region from Wadani Party and Abdullahi Hirsi Hassan, a Local Councilor candidate of Berbera from UCID Party were arrested in Hargeisa.The government didn’t give any explanation related to their arrest.

For the last three months, nearly six candidates were arrested including these two candidates, 5 of them were candidates from UCID party and one from Wadani Party. Three of them were released without any charges. Reports the Somaliland elections monitor

On March 31st, 2021, The Spokesperson of the Ruling Party of Kulmiye Abdinaasir Buuni mentioned that a number of candidates from his party was arrested in both Awdal Region and Caynaba District of Sool Region.

The Spokesperson did not give any further explanation about the number of candidates, the dates arrested, why they was arrested and if they are released or not, but the Spokesperson confirmed that the arrested candidates are running both the Parliamentary and Local Council

More on arrest of opposition party’s candidates by Somaliland security forces

February 08, 2021

2 Candidates Arrested

On February 08, 2021 Somaliland Security Forces arrested two candidates from UCID party who was preparing to launch their candidacy. The Security agencies who arrested and the government did not give any explanation related to their detention. But the Opposition parties and the Civil Society including Center for Policy Analysis condemned the arrest of the candidates. Raage Ahmed Yuusuf was running the House of Representatives of Maroodi-jeex Region, while Mohamud Ahmed Jama was running the Local Council of Hargeisa. the two candidates were released on March 07, 2021, nearly after one month of their arrest without giving any justification for their detention

March 25, 2021

Parliamentary Candidate Arrested

On March 25, 2021, Somaliland Security forces arrested Shucayb Mohamed Muuse, a parliamentary Candidate of UCID Party from Maroodi-jeex Region. Shucayb was a former cabinet minister and a former an elected local councilor in Gebilay District. When arrested, he was the shadow minister of Agriculture of UCID Party. On April 8th, the security forces released Shucayb Mohamed Muse without any charges.

March 31, 2021

Unnamed Candidates from Kulmiye was arrested

On March 31st, 2021 The Spokesperson of the Ruling Party of Kulmiye Abdinaasir Buuni mentioned that a number of candidates from his party were arrested in both Awdal Region and Caynaba District of Sool Region. The Spokesperson did not give any further explanation about the number of candidates, the dates arrested, why they was arrested and if they are released or not, but the Spokesperson confirmed that the arrested candidates are running both the Parliamentary and Local Councils.

April 9, 2021

Parliamentary Candidates arrested

On Friday, April 9th, 2021, the security forces arrested Sh. Ibraahin Abdi Xuseen, a parliamentary candidate from Maroodi-jeex Region and also the secretary for Religious affairs of UCID Party. The government did not give any clarification related to his arrest. the candidate is still in prison without charges.

April 23, 2021

Two Candidates Arrested

Somaliland Security Forces arrested two candidates from UCID and Wadani in Hargeisa. Sources confirmed the Election Monitoring Office of CPA that Qaasin Adan Saleban a parliamentary candidate of Sool Region from Wadani Party and Abdullahi Hirsi Hassan, a Local Councilor candidate of Berbera from UCID Party were arrested in Hargeisa. The government didn’t give any explanation related to their arrest. The two candidates are still in prison.

For more on current and recent past arrest of candidates in the parliamentary and local councils elections sponsored by opposition parties UCID and Wadani visit