Shabelle Media Network (Mogadishu)
16 June 2008
Somali immigrant headed to Libyan from Sudan have been badly tortured and robed by armed militias laid checkpoints between the two African countries Shabelle reporter in Tripoli said.
The militias were reported to have been Sudanese opposition group from the western Sudan region of Darfur those have stronghold locations between the two countries.
The militias have harshly beaten some of the Somali youths were traveling on the border areas between Sudan and Libya, they have also forcibly taken away some of their belongings.
"I was beaten with plastic strong stick by three men; I am suffering from tendernessness in the skin, I have got fainted at the same site once "but glory to God in the highest I am a live" Abdi Hassan Abdi who is victim of torture told Shabelle.
The situation changed dramatically with the arrival of asylum seekers and refugees fleeing civil war in the 1990s. Since the ousting of Somalia's government in 1991, much of the country, situated on the eastern "Horn of Africa", has been in a state of violent anarchy, perpetuated by warlords heading rag-tag armies of young men.
Countries don't get more chaotic than Somalia, and many who fled are now living.
Torture has often been sponsored by governments. In addition, individuals or groups may inflict torture on others for the same reasons as those acting in an official capacity. Torture is prohibited under international law and the domestic laws of most countries; however, Amnesty International estimates that 75% of the world's governments currently practice torture as they define it but no government has yet abided the laws.
Throughout history, torture has often been used as a method of effecting political re-education.
In the 21st century, torture is widely considered to be a violation of human rights, and is declared to be unacceptable by Article 5 of the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
Signatories of the Third Geneva Convention and Fourth Geneva Convention agree not to torture protected persons (POWs and enemy civilians) in armed conflicts.
Torture is also prohibited by the United Nations Convention Against Torture, which has been ratified by 145 states.
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