Amnesty welcomes Janan’s arrest, says a step towards accountability

The campaign group Amnesty International has hailed the arrest of Jubbaland Security Minister Abdirashid Janan terming it a ‘significant step to accountability.’

Amnesty said in a statement Monday it welcomed Janan’s arrest last week in Mogadishu and called for investigations be opened on him.

“The arrest of Abdirashid Janan is a significant step towards accountability for the serious human rights violations committed with impunity for years by powerful individuals in Somalia,” said Amnesty’s director for East Africa Saif Magango.

According to Amnesty, Janan has been adversely mentioned previously in UN Monitoring Group on Somalia for violations of human rights.

“Abdirashid Janan is accused by the UN Somalia and Eritrea Monitoring Group of horrific crimes including killings, torture, unlawful detention and illegal renditions between 2014 and 2015,” the statement read in part.

Jubbaland State protested Sunday the arrest of Janan terming it a violation of the law and called on state and federal authorities to come clean on the matter.

Police spokeswoman Hussein Zakia confirmed Friday the arrest of Janan but did not give details only noting police are already investigating him.

But Jubbaland Government reads mischief in Janan’s arrest which comes amid rocky relations between Mogadishu and Kismayu.

Amnesty said Janan was mentioned by the Monitoring Group ‘for serious human rights violations in their 2016 and 2017 reports, and of “conduct constituting obstruction of humanitarian assistance” between 2014 and 2017.”
HOL