Human rights must not end up being a “secondary consideration” as the new Somali government focusses on securing and stabilizing the country.
That’s what Kirsten Young, the Chief of Human Rights for the United Nations Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOM) told members of the Security Council in her brief on the situation in the country.
Journalists, human rights defenders and political leaders have been killed, arrested and harassed, a report by her office on freedom of expression in Somalia has found.
The attack on the Dayax hotel in the Somali capital of Mogadishu on Wednesday has been described by the UN there as a “desperate attempt” by Al Shabaab extremists to disrupt the electoral process.
Joseph Contreras, the Spokesperson for the UN Assistance Mission in Somalia, UNSOM, said the terrorist group’s “continual resort to violent tactics is a sign of weakness.”
At least 20 people were killed and dozens were injured in the attack.
