Further information on UA 331/93 (AFR 23/05/93, 17 September; and follow-up AFR 23/06/93, 15 October) - Djibouti: legal concern: Mohamed Houmed Soulleh

Index Number: AFR 23/007/1993
Date Published: 27 October 1993
Categories: Africa, Djibouti

Mohamed Houmed Soulleh was taken to court on 18 October to face charges of defaming the Minister of Defence and spreading false information. As president of the Association pour la defense des droits de l'homme et des libertes (ADDHL) he had criticised the army for human rights abuses in the civil war in the north. On 25 October the magistrate convicted him and sentenced him to three months' imprisonment and a fine of 300,000 Djibouti Francs. His defence lawyer is appealing. He is held in Gabode prison, and was recently on hunger-strike over conditions there. He has now been allowed access to his family, lawyer and medical attention. He is a prisoner of conscience.