United Nations experts have strongly condemned the Somali government's dismissal of Chief Justice Bashe Yusuf Ahmed, describing the move as unlawful. In a statement issued on November 12, 2026, the experts criticized President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud's decision to remove Ahmed through a presidential decree on November 4. The decree was followed by the swearing-in of Ibrahim Idle Suleiman as Ahmed's replacement on November 7. The experts said the dismissal failed to follow constitutional procedures.
The dismissal occurred a day before the Supreme Court was due to rule on the constitutionality of measures extending the terms of Somalia's president and parliament from four to five years. On November 5, five Supreme Court judges proceeded with the case and ruled that the extensions were unlawful. The judges declared that the mandates of both the president and parliament had expired and ordered elections to be held within 90 days. The court also ruled that Ahmed's dismissal was unconstitutional.
The federal government refused to comply with the court's orders, according to the UN experts. Hundreds of security personnel were deployed to the Supreme Court in an attempt to disrupt and intimidate the judiciary. The experts also raised concerns over the withdrawal of personal security protection from seven Supreme Court judges, despite reported security risks, and restrictions preventing them from traveling.
The UN experts condemned attempts to intimidate judges and serious threats to their security. They called for the personal protection of judges to be urgently restored. The experts stressed that international, African, and national legal standards require governments to safeguard judicial independence, particularly when courts deal with politically sensitive disputes.
Judicial officers can only be suspended or removed on legitimate grounds, including incapacity or conduct that makes them unfit to perform their duties. The experts referred to international principles governing judicial appointments, which require transparent and legally established procedures to protect the independence of the courts.
The statement recalled previous concerns raised by UN experts over Somalia's constitutional reform process and the lack of an independent judiciary. Those concerns could weaken the country's counter-terrorism and stabilization efforts at a time when Somalia continues to face a serious security threat from Al-Shabaab.
The experts called on the Somali government to reinstate Ahmed as Chief Justice and guarantee the security of all judges so they can carry out their responsibilities without political pressure or intimidation. The lawfully appointed Chief Justice Ahmed must be restored to office, and his security and that of all other judges must be guaranteed.
Key points
- The UN experts condemned the dismissal of Somalia's Chief Justice Bashe Yusuf Ahmed as unlawful and warned of threats to judicial independence.
- The Somali government's actions have raised concerns over the separation of powers and the authority of the courts.
- The experts called for the reinstatement of Ahmed as Chief Justice and guaranteed security for all judges.
