Cabdiqadir Shaarey’s Reported Arrest Tests Somaliland’s Commitment to Due Process
Silence after an arrest does not protect national security. It weakens public confidence in the law.
Somaliland’s institutions face a simple test whenever a politically or socially visible person is taken into custody: can the state explain what it has done, under which law and subject to whose supervision?
Public social-media posts report that security agencies detained Cabdiqadir Shaarey. Yet WARYATV could not locate an official statement identifying the arresting agency, the alleged offence, the place of detention, the legal authority used or whether he has appeared before a court. Those gaps are not minor details. Until they are filled, the responsible description is a reported arrest, not a proven criminal case.
The law is already clear
Somaliland’s Constitution says that no person may be deprived of liberty except according to law. Except when someone is caught committing an offence, arrest or detention requires a reasoned warrant from a competent judge. A person detained over an alleged criminal offence has the right to see a lawyer or relatives promptly and to be brought before a court within 48 hours.
These protections are not gifts reserved for popular people. They are strongest when applied to controversial cases. If Shaarey is suspected of an offence, authorities should identify the provision involved, confirm his location and allow the judicial process to begin. If he is not in state custody, police should correct the public record. If he has been released, that too should be stated.
Silence creates its own instability
Official silence allows every faction to manufacture a version of events. Supporters declare persecution; opponents assume guilt; anonymous accounts add accusations that may be impossible to retract. The result is not security but a vacuum in which rumor becomes political evidence.
Somaliland’s government should adopt a basic custody-notification rule: within hours of any non-covert arrest, a designated authority should confirm the agency involved, legal basis, place of custody and next judicial deadline. Legitimate operational details can remain protected.
WARYATV assessment: The issue is larger than one detainee. A state seeking international confidence cannot ask foreign partners to respect its sovereignty while treating the legal status of people in its custody as an optional disclosure. Charge, present and try according to law—or release.
