Shocking reports that five boys tortured to confess to crime were executed on 8 April and a further two face execution at any moment

Amnesty International is urgently calling on authorities in Somalia’s semi-autonomous Puntland region to immediately halt plans to execute two boys sentenced to death by a military tribunal in February for their alleged role in the armed group Al-Shabaab’s killing of three senior administration officials.

Amnesty has received disturbing reports that Muhamed Yasin Abdi, 17, and Daud Saied Sahal, 15, could be put to death at any moment after five other boys - aged between 14 and 17 - were executed on 8 April for the killings.

Family members told Amnesty that the boys, who they deny were members of Al-Shabaab, were subjected to electric shock, burnt with cigarettes on their genitals, beaten and raped into confessing to the murders.

Amnesty International’s Deputy Regional Director for East Africa, the Horn and the Great Lakes, Michelle Kagari said:

“These five boys were executed following a fundamentally flawed process during which they were tortured to confess, denied access to a lawyer and additional protections accorded to juveniles, and tried in a military tribunal. The lives of the remaining two boys must be spared.

“The Puntland authorities must not allow more blood on their hands. They should halt the executions and retry the boys in fair proceedings in a juvenile civilian court without recourse to the death penalty.  Those responsible for killing the three administration officials need to be identified and brought to justice - torturing juveniles to confess, subjecting them to an unfair trial and then executing them does not ensure this.

“These horrific allegations of torture must be fully and independently investigated and those found responsible held to account. Puntland must also stop the practice of trying civilians in military courts.”

Amnesty believes the death penalty is cruel, inhuman and degrading, and opposes it at all times - regardless of who is accused, the crime, guilt or innocence or method of execution.

Amnesty recently published its annual global survey of the death penalty showing that Somalia executed at least 14 people during 2016, one of which was in the Puntland region.