Somalia
Diverging information about Somali lesbians' death sentence

afrol.com, 23 February - After afrol.com reported about the death sentence by stoning of a Somali lesbian couple for "unnatural behaviour" diverging information on the case has arrived. While UN sources confirm the case and name the women's name, Somali media claim the entire case is "fabricated" and untrue.

According to UN, local and international media, a Somali lesbian couple on 19 February was sentenced to death by an Islamic court in Bosaso, the commercial capital of the self-declared autonomous region of Puntland, northeast Somalia. The Bosaso court found the two unnamed women guilty of "exercising unnatural behaviour" and sentenced them to death by stoning in a verdict difficult to defend even within the Muslim Shari'a laws. 

The original sources of this story are twofold. The local, Somali daily Qaran newspaper in Mogadishu had reported the story, giving details on the cheering crowd following the sentence. Secondly, the UN daily media, IRIN, reported from Puntland independently, quoting local "humanitarian sources", which normally means people working within the UN system. IRIN's sources also gave details on the background of the trial.

Today, the Qaran newspaper backed on the story, writing an apology to their readers. Puntland police has also denied the story, according to the Somali Sahan daily newspaper. Sahan claims there is "absolutely no basis to the story". Sources close to the Puntland administration claim it was "baseless, groundless and fabricated" and demonstrated the unseriousness of Mogadishu "tabloids". 

On the other hand, IRIN has been able to get hand on new and detailed information on the case. The UN agency claims to know the whereabouts of the couple. The women "are being held in the main prison in Bosaso," IRIN today informed.

IRIN's Bosaso source also had, for the first time, learned the name of the two women as "Ismahaan Awil, 21, and Farhia (no last name available), 19". Further, IRIN claims "local sources said they are not being allowed to communicate with anyone but relevant authorities." 

IRIN is one of the few independent sources providing news from the inside of Puntland, a region mostly cut off to the outside world. Given the high credibility of this UN source and the outrage the first death sentence for homosexuality in modern times is causing, a Puntland denial on the story might seem nothing less than expected. 

Puntland is the northeastern province of Somalia, declared an independent state while awaiting the formation of a "federal Somalia". The Mogadishu government does not control the region and is known to be hostile against the Puntland self-declared government. Puntland uses Somali laws, which are loosely based on the Muslim Shari'a laws. Shari'a law does however not call for the stoning of homosexuals.

The case is achieving international attention, and the first protests to this human rights violation are already coming. UN sources say that the UN is opposed to the death sentence "as a matter of principle" and that stoning to death was "inhuman treatment". UN officials and human rights groups have been apprised of the situation, according to IRIN. So far, there have not been made public statements by the international gay/lesbian rights organisations on the case. 

Homosexuality is illegal in most African countries, and although its prosecution is seldom, oppression often is harsh. In Somali laws, however, there is no outspoken prohibition of homosexuality. 

Sources: Based on IRIN, Somalinet, BBC and afrol archives.

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