Home Country Guidance Somalia 2023 5. Actors of protection 5.1. The State Table of Contents Introduction Guidance note The structure of the Somali governance The role of clans in Somalia Actors of persecution or serious harm Refugee status Subsidiary protection Article 15(a) QD: death penalty or execution Article 15(b) QD: torture or inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment Article 15(c) QD: indiscriminate violence in situations of armed conflict Actors of protection Internal protection alternative Exclusion Common analysis 1. General remarks 1.1. The structure of the Somali governance 1.2. The role of clans in Somalia 2. Actors of persecution or serious harm 2.1. Areas of control and influence 2.2. State actors 2.3. Non-State actors 3. Refugee status 3.1. General remarks 3.2. Persons associated with the government of Somalia and/or international actors 3.2.1. Overview 3.2.2. Federal and state officials 3.2.3. Members of the federal and state armed forces 3.2.4. Electoral delegates 3.2.5. Civilians perceived as ‘spies’ by Al-Shabaab 3.3. Persons fearing recruitment by Al-Shabaab 3.4. Deserters and defectors from Al-Shabaab 3.5. Individuals refusing to pay ‘taxes’ to Al-Shabaab 3.6. Humanitarian workers and human rights defenders 3.7. Journalists 3.8. Individuals (perceived as) contravening social or religious laws/tenets 3.8.1. Individuals (perceived as) contravening Islamic laws in Al-Shabaab controlled areas 3.8.2. Individuals (perceived as) contravening Islamic and customary tenets outside Al-Shabaab controlled areas 3.9. Individuals involved in blood feuds/clan disputes 3.10. Individuals accused of crimes in Somalia 3.11. Minorities 3.11.1. Overview 3.11.2. Low status occupational minorities 3.11.3. Ethnic minorities 3.11.4. Groups specialised in religious services 3.11.5. Clans which can be considered minority groups in local contexts 3.11.6. Individuals in mixed marriages 3.12. LGBTIQ persons 3.13. Women and girls 3.13.1. Violence against women and girls: overview 3.13.2. Female genital mutilation or cutting (FGM/C) 3.13.3. Women and girls fearing forced recruitment by Al-Shabaab 3.13.4. Women and girls who have left Al-Shabaab 3.13.5. Child marriage and forced marriage 3.13.6. Women and girls in clan conflicts 3.13.7. Single women and female heads of households 3.14. Children 3.14.1. Violence against children: overview 3.14.2. Child recruitment by Al-Shabaab 3.15. Persons with disabilities or severe medical issues 4. Subsidiary protection 4.1. Article 15(a) QD: death penalty or execution 4.2. Article 15(b) QD: torture or inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment 4.2.1. Arbitrary arrests, illegal detention and prison conditions 4.2.2. Criminality 4.2.3. Corporal punishments 4.2.4. Forced evictions 4.2.5. Healthcare unavailability and socio-economic conditions 4.3. Article 15(c) QD: indiscriminate violence in situations of armed conflict 4.3.1. Preliminary remarks 4.3.2. Armed conflict (international or internal) 4.3.3. Qualification of a person as a ‘civilian’ 4.3.4. Indiscriminate violence Indiscriminate violence in Somalia Jubbaland Gedo Middle Juba Lower Juba South-West Bakool Bay Lower Shabelle Benadir/Mogadishu Hirshabelle Hiraan Middle Shabelle Galmudug Galgaduud Mudug Puntland Nugal Bari Regions contested between Somaliland and Puntland Sool Sanaag Somaliland Awdal Wogoyi Galbeed Togdheer 4.3.5. Serious and individual threat 4.3.6. Qualification of the harm as ‘threat to (a civilian’s) life or person’ 4.3.7. Nexus/’by reason of’ 5. Actors of protection 5.1. The State 5.1.1. The Somali State 5.1.2. Authorities of Somaliland 5.2. Parties or organisations, including international organisations 5.2.1. Al-Shabaab 5.3. Considerations on clan support 6. Internal protection alternative 6.1. Preliminary remarks 6.2. Part of the country 6.3. Safety 6.3.1. Absence of persecution or serious harm 6.3.2. Availability of protection against persecution or serious harm 6.4. Travel and admittance 6.5. Reasonableness to settle 6.5.1. General situation 6.5.2. Individual circumstances 6.5.3. Conclusions on reasonableness 7. Exclusion 7.1. Relevant circumstances 7.1.1. Crimes committed by state forces and state-affiliated forces 7.1.2. Crimes committed by non-state armed forces 7.1.3. Criminal activity 7.1.4. Other types of violence 7.2. Guidance with regard to Somalia 7.2.1. Article 12(2)(a) and Article 17(1)(a) QD 7.2.2. Article 12(2)(b) and Article 17(1)(b) QD 7.2.3. Article 12(2)(c) and Article 17(1)(c) QD 7.2.4. Article 17(1)(d) QD Abbreviations and glossary Country of origin information references Share Print COMMON ANALYSIS Last update: June 2022 *Minor updates added: August 2023 The contents of this chapter include: 5.1.1. The Somali State 5.1.2. Authorities of Somaliland Book traversal links for 5.1. The State Previous Parent Next
