Somaliland: Release prisoners of conscience Boqor Buurmadow & Co……… AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL

HISTORY REPEATING ITSELF AND THAT IS ONE THING WRONG WITH HISTORY THIS IS THE CALL OF AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL YESTERDAY SIX YEARS AGO BUT ALSO TODAY ……..  WE CAN DISAGREE WITH BOQOR BUURMADOW BUT HIS FREEDOM OF SPEECH AND HIS HUMAN RIGHTS ARE NONNEGOTIABLE …….. YO MR. MOHAMED ALI BILE RELEASE ALL  PRISONERS OF CONSCIENCE  , NAIMA ABWAAN QORANE , MR. KAYSE , MR . MOHAMED KAYSE MOHAMOUD..

” Amnesty International is calling on the Somaliland authorities to immediately and

Unconditionally release elder Boqor Osman Mohamoud Buurmadow, a prisoner of conscience. Amnesty International is also urging the Somaliland authorities to quash the conviction against him, after he was sentenced on 26 April to five years imprisonment after conviction for “high treason”

Boqor Osman Mohamoud Buurmadow has been detained since 26 April 2018, when he was arrested at the regional court of Hargeisa, Somaliland’s capital, upon his conviction without due process. The basis for his conviction relates to his peace broking speech in Puntland which is his core business as Somaliland elder .

Amnesty International previously wrote to the Somaliland authorities to call for his release, but has to date received no answer from them. Amnesty International outlined in its letter that he was being detained and charged with criminal offences solely for having peacefully exercised his right to freedom of expression, guaranteed by Article 32 of the Somaliland Constitution and Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Amnesty International is also concerned at the use of criminal charges against Boqor Osman Mohamoud Buurmadow for exercising his right to freedom of expression. Initially he was charged with “anti-national activity of a citizen abroad”, “subversive or anti-national propaganda” and “continuing offence”, all offences under the Somaliland Penal Code.

International human rights law and standards are clear that the right to freedom of expression includes the voicing of political opinions. Any restrictions imposed on the exercise of the right are permissible only for certain specific purposes (protection of national security or public order, public health or morals, or the rights or reputations of others), and must conform to strict tests of demonstrable necessity and proportionality and must not put in jeopardy the right itself. Political public figures should tolerate a greater degree of criticism, not less, than people generally, and accordingly, criminal or other laws which provide special protection against criticism for public officials are not consistent with respect for freedom of expression.

The trial proceedings against Boqor Osman Mohamoud Buurmadow have been marred by irregularities, which Amnesty International believes could be politically motivated. Most recently, the prosecution appealed against the sentence handed out to Boqor Osman Mohamoud Buurmadow on 26 April, preventing him to have his lawyers and due process .”

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