Military court sentences five people to death over explosions in in Baidoa town

Somalia’s military tribunal sentenced five suspects to death Saturday for their roles in the recent deadly suicide bombings in a southwestern city where over 40 people were killed in twin attacks a week ago

Col. Hassan Nur, a military court judge who read the verdict said that the court convicted five men, out of seven arrested for the attacks of having planned the two blasts, and jailed another one for 3 years.

“5 of the suspects were sentenced to death, one was sentenced to three years imprisonment and the other one was released after he was found not guilty” chairperson of the Somali Court, Ali Hassan Shute said.

Shute said the military court will take action against all perpetrators and bring before justice.

On 10th of this month the court found Hassan Hanafi, a former journalist, guilty of direct or indirect involvement in the killing five journalists on behalf of the armed militant group Al-Shabaab.

The court sentenced him to death by execution, which in Somalia is usually carried out by firing squad, according to Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ)

In 2014 Human Rights Watch published a report on Somali military courts, indicating that they routinely fail to meet international fair-trial standards.