Islamic Committee formally accuses Awdal Governor of Apostasy

SOMALILAND.COM – The Islamic Committee of Promoting Virtue and Prevention of Vice in Somaliland’s Awdal region has formally accused the governor of the region, Abdirahman Ahmed Ali of apostasy.

In a press conference on Sunday, the committee which is a non-government religious body has doubled down on its allegations that the governor insulted the religion of Islam. 

Following a meeting for the leaders of the committee comprised of religious men from throughout the Awdal region, the committee said the governor, without doubt, abused Islam. 

Sheikh Mohamud Farah Iidle, the spokesman of the group, said they have more than enough witnesses to testify that the governor insulted the religion in public. He stressed that they had not rushed into leveling these accusations and their pure intent of defending the religion.

Sheikh Iidle reiterated their position that insulting the religion is apostasy – a renouncement of belief. However, the spokesman of the religious group refrained from outlining the punishment of such a crime, according to him.

The committee announced that it has submitted the details of the case to the competent government authorities and called on the religious leaders of the country to closely follow the case.

Insulting Islam or the prophets is considered a crime in Somaliland in many cases punishable by jail. 

The alleged abuse of religion by the governor has created an outrage in Awdal region since last Friday. Many prominent preachers took Friday sermons to denounce the governor and called for action against him.  

Last Tuesday, Somaliland’s government accused the religious leaders of Awdal region of propagating unsubstantiated allegations to stir controversy. The deputy minister of the interior, Nasir Aideed, sternly asked the religious leaders to prove their allegations against the governor.