Somalia: Somaliland: Release prisoner of conscience

The basis for his conviction relates to his criticism in 2011, while he was in the United Arab Emirates, of a visit to China by the President of the Republic of Somaliland. [...] Amnesty International outlined in its letter that he was being detained and charged with criminal offences solely for having peacefully exercised his right to freedom of expression, guaranteed by Article 32 of the Somaliland Constitution and Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. [...] Boqor Osman Mohamoud Buurmadow ran out months ago of the medicine prescribed to him in the United Arab Emirates for high blood pressure and a number of other conditions. [...] Initially he was charged with “anti-national activity of a citizen abroad”, “subversive or anti-national propaganda” and “continuing offence”, all offences under the Somaliland Penal Code, but on 8 July, the judge dismissed these charges and instead found him guilty of “insulting a public official”, an offence punishable by six months to two years’ imprisonment, according to Article 268 of the Pen [...] International human rights law and standards are clear that the right to freedom of expression includes the voicing of political opinions.