Somalia

Featured Report

Not Available

Immigration detainees

2019

No Data

Detained children

Featured Report

Overview

(August 2016) Somalia is the third largest source country of refugees worldwide, with the number of Somali refugees reaching one million in 2012. Although immigration detention is reported to be relatively common in the autonomous territories of Puntland and Somaliland, it does not appear to be a significant issue in Somalia proper.

Types of facilities used for migration-related detention
Administrative Ad Hoc Criminal Unknown

Related Reading

December 2019
Somalia Immigration Detention Data Profile (2019)
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SomaliaSomalia

12 March 2021 – Somalia

12 March 2021

Somalia, a war-torn country located in the Horn of Africa, has a population of approximately 15 million. The population is considered to be particularly vulnerable to the spread of infectious diseases because of its poor public health infrastructure that was damaged during years of civil war, ongoing conflicts, and economic underdevelopment. At the same time, […]

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UNSOM, “Somalia’s COVID-19 Response: Internally Displaced People Especially at Risk,” 23 June 2020, https://unsom.unmissions.org/somalia%E2%80%99s-covid-19-response-internally-displaced-people-especially-risk
Last updated: August 2016

Somalia Immigration Detention Profile

    Somalia is the third largest source country of refugees worldwide. The number of Somali refugees reached one million in 2012. As Somalia is not a destination or transit country for migrants from neighbouring countries, immigration-related detention does not appear to be a significant issue and there is very little information available about this issue.[1]

    In 2013, the U.S. State Department described conditions in Somalia’s prisons and detention centres as harsh and life-threatening. Problems include poor sanitation, lack of medical care, inadequate food, and widespread tuberculosis, cholera, and pneumonia.[2]

     

    [1] Regional Mixed Migration Secretariat, Behind Bars: The Detention of Migrants in and from the East and Horn of Africa, 2015, http://www.regionalmms.org/.

    [2] U.S. Department of State, Somalia 2014 Human Rights Report, 2014, http://www.state.gov/documents/organization/236616.pdf.

    DETENTION STATISTICS

    Total Migration Detainees: Flow + Stock (year)
    Not Available
    2019

    DETAINEE DATA

    Total Number of Children Placed in Immigration Detention (Year)
    0
    2017

    DETENTION CAPACITY

    ALTERNATIVES TO DETENTION

    ADDITIONAL ENFORCEMENT DATA

    PRISON DATA

    Criminal Prison Population (Year)
    3,450
    2012

    POPULATION DATA

    Population (Year)
    15,900,000
    2020
    10,787,000
    2015
    International Migrants (Year)
    52,131
    2019
    24,600
    2013
    International Migrants as Percentage of Population (Year)
    0.2
    2013
    Refugees (Year)
    17,882
    2019
    16,741
    2018
    14,567
    2017
    11,559
    2016
    8,081
    2015
    2,729
    2014
    Ratio of Refugees Per 1000 Inhabitants (Year)
    0.23
    2013
    New Asylum Applications (Year)
    2,003
    2019
    3,153
    2016
    2,886
    2013
    Refugee Recognition Rate (Year)
    39.9
    2013
    Stateless Persons (Year)
    0
    2016
    0
    2014

    SOCIO-ECONOMIC DATA & POLLS

    MIGRATION-RELATED DETENTION

    GOVERNANCE SYSTEM

    Legal Tradition(s)
    Muslim law
    2017
    Civil law
    2017
    Customary law
    2017
    Common law
    2017

    LEGAL & REGULATORY FRAMEWORK

    GROUNDS FOR MIGRATION-RELATED DETENTION

    LENGTH OF MIGRATION-RELATED DETENTION

    MIGRATION-RELATED DETENTION INSTITUTIONS

    PROCEDURAL STANDARDS & SAFEGUARDS

    DETENTION MONITORS

    > National human rights monitoring bodies

    > National Preventive Mechanisms (Optional Protocol to UN Convetion against Torture)

    > Non-governmental organisations (NGOs)

    > Governmental monitoring bodies

    > International detention monitoring

    TRANSPARENCY

    READMISSION/RETURN/EXTRADITION AGREEMENTS

    COVID-19

    HEALTH CARE

    COVID-19 DATA

    INTERNATIONAL TREATIES

    International Treaties Ratified
    Ratification Year
    Observation Date
    CRPD, Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
    2019
    2019
    CRC, Convention on the Rights of the Child
    2015
    2015
    CAT, Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment
    1990
    1990
    ICESCR, International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights
    1990
    1990
    ICCPR, International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights
    1990
    1990
    CRSR, Geneva Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees
    1978
    1978
    PCRSR, Protocol to the Geneva Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees
    1978
    1978
    ICERD, International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination
    1975
    1975
    VCCR, Vienna Convention on Consular Relations
    1968
    1968
    Ratio of relevant international treaties ratified
    Ratio: 9/19
    Treaty Reservations
    Reservation Year
    Observation Date
    CRC Article 14 2015
    2015
    2015
    Individual Complaints Procedures
    Acceptance Year
    ICCPR, First Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, 1966 1990
    1990
    Ratio of Complaints Procedures Accepted
    Observation Date
    1/7
    2017

    NON-TREATY-BASED INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS MECHANISMS

    Relevant Recommendations from the UN Universal Periodic Review
    Observation Date
    No 2011
    2017
    No 2016
    2017

    REGIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS MECHANISMS

    Regional Legal Instruments
    Year of Ratification (Treaty) / Transposed (Directive) / Adoption (Regulation)
    Observation Date
    ACHPR, African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights 1985
    1985

    DETENTION COSTS

    OUTSOURCING

    FOREIGN SOURCES OF FUNDING FOR DETENTION OPERATIONS