Authorities in Somalia’s semi-autonomous Puntland region on Tuesday executed a woman by firing squad for the murder of a 14-year-old domestic worker, marking a rare application of retaliatory justice and reviving national debate over child protection and capital punishment.
Hodan Mohamud Diiriye, 34, was executed in the central city of Galkayo after a regional court convicted her of beating to death Saabirin Saylaan, a teenage girl who had been working as a domestic helper in her household. The killing occurred in November last year in the Mudug region.
Officials said the sentence was carried out under the Islamic legal principle of retributive justice, which allows a victim’s family to demand execution rather than accept financial compensation. A regional decree in Mudug mandates the enforcement of Islamic law in homicide cases.
“The sentence was implemented today under the principle of retribution,” Mudug regional governor Faysal Sheikh Ali told reporters, confirming that representatives of both the victim’s family and the convicted woman’s relatives were present at the execution.
The killing of Saabirin Saylaan had sparked public outrage and street protests in Galkayo, with demonstrators demanding accountability and stronger safeguards for children and domestic workers. Human rights advocates say abuse of minors working in private households remains widespread in Somalia, though many cases go unreported due to social stigma and family pressure.
Puntland’s Ministry of Justice said the execution was the first of a woman in the region in more than a decade. The last known case dates back to 2013, when authorities executed 13 people convicted of militant violence, including one woman, for their role in the assassination of a prominent Islamic scholar.
While Puntland maintains its own judicial system and security apparatus, its application of the death penalty-particularly under retributive justice-has long drawn scrutiny from rights groups, who argue it conflicts with international human rights standards.
The execution closes the legal case under Puntland’s courts, but it is expected to reignite broader debate across Somalia over capital punishment, the use of retributive justice, and the urgent need for stronger legal protections for children and other vulnerable members of society.