United Nations human rights experts have strongly condemned the Somali government's dismissal of Chief Justice Baashe Yusuf Ahmed, accusing President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud's administration of undermining judicial independence and intimidating Supreme Court judges. The experts said the president's decision to remove Baashe on November 4 and appoint Ibrahim Idle Suleiman violated constitutional procedures and threatened the rule of law. They demanded Baashe's reinstatement and the withdrawal of troops deployed around the Supreme Court.
The UN experts criticized the swearing-in of Suleiman on November 7, a ceremony attended by Hassan Sheikh, despite the Supreme Court's decision declaring Baashe's dismissal unconstitutional. The experts said the government had refused to comply with the court's rulings and had instead deployed hundreds of security personnel around the Supreme Court to disrupt its operations and intimidate judges. They alleged that seven Supreme Court judges had been stripped of their personal security protection and barred from traveling despite facing security threats.
The experts also condemned the attempted intimidation of judges and serious threats to their security, calling for their personal protection to be urgently reinstated. They emphasized that judges must be able to decide cases independently, including politically sensitive disputes, without threats, intimidation or improper interference from government officials. Judicial officials should be removed only for legally established reasons, including incapacity or misconduct that makes them unfit to perform their duties.
The UN statement follows the Supreme Court's November 5 ruling that constitutional amendments extending presidential and parliamentary terms from four to five years could not be applied to the current administration. A five-judge panel ruled that Hassan Sheikh's mandate had expired in May 2026 and that the mandates of both houses of parliament had ended in April. The court also directed political leaders to reach an agreement on an electoral framework within 30 days and hold elections within 90 days.
The Supreme Court rejected the dismissal of Baashe, declaring it null and void and accusing the presidency of attempting to obstruct its consideration of the constitutional case. Baashe also said at a news conference that he no longer felt safe in Mogadishu, alleging that approximately 300 security personnel and 30 armed vehicles had been deployed around the Supreme Court. The presidency has maintained that Baashe's removal followed complaints from judges, judicial staff and legal professionals about the administration of justice.
The UN experts warned that disputed constitutional reforms and the weakening of judicial independence could undermine Somalia's counterterrorism and stabilization efforts as the country continues fighting al-Shabab. They said a functioning and independent judiciary was essential to maintaining democratic institutions and ensuring that political disputes were resolved through lawful procedures. The experts urged Somali authorities to respect constitutional procedures, restore judicial security protections and ensure that judges can carry out their responsibilities without political interference.
The UN statement comes amid mounting criticism of the government's handling of the judicial dispute. On November 10, the Uganda Law Society called on Hassan Sheikh to respect Supreme Court rulings, reinstate Baashe and uphold constitutional term limits, warning that the political confrontation threatened the rule of law. The experts reiterated their call for Baashe's reinstatement and the protection of judges, emphasizing that international, African and national law require all countries to ensure the independence of the judiciary.
Key points
- The UN experts demanded the reinstatement of Chief Justice Baashe Yusuf Ahmed and the withdrawal of troops deployed around the Supreme Court.
- The experts condemned the government's interference with the independence of the judiciary and the intimidation of Supreme Court judges.
- The weakening of judicial independence could undermine Somalia's counterterrorism and stabilization efforts.
