The President of the Republic of Somaliland, Muse Bihi Abdi, Monday, pardoned 19 prisoners who were held on crimes related to piracy.
The prisoners who benefited from Monday’s presidential decree were among 111 prisoners who had been transferred over the years from Seychelles high-security prisons such as the Montagne Posée Prison and divided between Hargeisa and Garowe under an agreement with UNODC.
A great number of these have been, since then, released following an expiry of their terms or on presidential pardons similar to President Bihi’s.
The President stated in his Decree that the state was satisfied that the pardoned prisoners have fully been rehabilitated and that there was no possibility that they will slip back to their old, criminal habits.
Besides, the statement said, full guarantees and incessant requests from families and close relatives were carefully considered before granting the parole, reprieve.
President Bihi, considering and heeding the recommendations of the Attorney-General’s office, decided that the following be fully repatriated and returned to their families in Somalia.
Beneficiaries of this pardon were:
1) Mohamed Ahmed Essa
2) Addow Ali Osman
3)Abdullahi Yussuf Hersi
4) Ahmec Ali Osman
5) Ahmed Ali Saeed
6) Mohamed Ahmed Ali
7) Bashiir Khalif Hashi
8) Abdirizak Mohamed Ali
9) Abdifattah Ahmed Hassan
10) Nur Mohamed Adan
11) Jamal Mohamed Ali
12) Ali Mohamed Ali
13) Abdillaahi Mohamed Hassan
14) Abdi Tahlil Hassan
15) Dahir Abdillaahi Warsame
16) Abdulkadir Abdi Ali
17) Abdinuur Haji Adan
18) Mohamed Mohamud Hassan
19) Abukar Ahmed Essa
In April 2017, President Ahmed Mohamed Mohamoud ‘Siilaanyo’ also pardoned 7 of the transferred ex-pirates.
Feature Picture: UNODC officer, Cole, meets 9 prisoners transferred too Somaliland prisons in December 2012.
