Djibouti’s ruling coalition, the Union for the Presidential Majority, won nearly 90 percent of parliamentary seats in the 23rd February 2018 legislative elections. The elections were boycotted by the three main opposition parties, including Movement for Democratic Renewal and Development. The Movement's leader Daher Ahmed Farah declared that “taking part in an election that is not fair and free means some kind of support to the farce”.
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#Djibouti: Reprisals against #humanrights defender Kadar Abdi Ibrahim for his advocacy at the @UN Human Rights Council https://t.co/TE0hCFIYek pic.twitter.com/zUrz13axx3
— CIVICUS (@CIVICUSalliance) April 19, 2018
On 15th April 2018, agents from the country's Information and Security Service briefly detained human rights defender (HRD) Kadar Abdi Ibrahim and confiscated his passport without giving any justification for their actions. Since then, Abdi Ibrahim has been unable to leave the country
The incident happened two days after the HRD had returned from Geneva, where he participated in advocacy activities and events ahead of Djibouti’s Universal Periodic Review which will take place on 10th May before the UN Human Rights Council.
CIVICUS, DefendDefenders and the Observatory condemned the acts of reprisals against Abdi Ibrahim, asserting that the government's
“...attempts to silence the few voices who denounce human rights violations committed in the country shows how intolerant to criticism Ismaïl Omar Guelleh’s power is…the review that is due to take place on 10 May 2018 must shed light on the serious situation that prevails in the country and demand reforms that guarantee the protection and promotion of human rights”.