Security officers threatened activist with rape and death-defence lawyers
Poetess and activist Naema Ahmed Qorane who was sentenced to three years jail term Sunday by a court in Hargeisa was threatened with rape and death by members of the intelligence agency, NIA, defence lawyers have said.
The lawyers, Jamaal Hussein Ahmed, Mubarak Abdi Ismail and Jama Ismail Ali said in a sworn affidavit Naema who has been in police custody since January 27 was subjected to abuse and threats of rape by the National Intelligence Agency in Hargeisa.
The lawyers told the court the National Intelligence Agency, NIA officers threatened the defendant with death and rape. “They threatened to unleash on her a Nigerian to do anything he wants (sexually assault her),” the affidavit read in part, ‘They said the Nigerian was within the station and had been ‘deployed severally to sexually assault women in the police cell’.
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The officers held a pistol to her head and assaulted her, the defence team noted adding their client also sustained injuries after she was shoved off a raised surface by the officers.
Despite reporting the matter to the head of the Criminal Investigations Division, the lawyers told the court, no action was taken against the officers.
The defence team said the circumstances under which Naema was subjected to by the police contravened basic human rights, international and ran counter the constitution of Somaliland. They said they would appeal the verdict.
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