Saturday October 18, 2025
Garowe (HOL) — Puntland President Said Abdullahi Deni has
signed into law the “Puntland Anti-Terrorism Law,” a new measure granting
expanded powers to security agencies in the region.
The legislation was previously approved by the Puntland
Parliament in late July 2025.
The new law authorizes security agencies to take exceptional
measures that extend beyond the standard provisions of the Puntland
Constitution. Among the most notable changes, the law permits security forces
to enter homes or other premises without a judicial warrant when pursuing terrorism
suspects. It also allows the monitoring of phone conversations of individuals
suspected of involvement in terrorist activities.
The legislation has sparked debate over its compatibility
with Article 21 of the Puntland Constitution, which explicitly prohibits
unauthorized home searches, surveillance, or spying, except in urgent
circumstances where police are actively pursuing a criminal or responding to a
crime in progress.
The law also introduces severe penalties for anyone who
joins, supports, or aids terrorist organizations — including prison terms of up
to 20 years or, in extreme cases, the death penalty.
Following President Deni’s signature on October 8, the law
was published in the official gazette, making it legally binding. Officials say
those currently imprisoned on terrorism-related charges will be subject to its
provisions.
Puntland has been waging an intensified campaign against
ISIS militants entrenched in parts of the Bari region. President Deni has vowed
that the final phase of the offensive will focus on holding accountable those
providing logistical or ideological support to the group.