A 34-year-old Somali woman, Hodan Mohamud Diiriye, has been executed by firing squad in Galkayo after a court found her guilty of killing a teenage domestic worker.

The teenager, Saabirin Saylaan, was beaten to death, sparking protests in Galkayo, the central part of Somalia in November and renewed calls for greater child protection, BBC reports.

Officials said the sentence was carried out under “qisas”, an Islamic legal principle allowing the family of a murder victim to demand execution rather than accept financial compensation. A decree in the Mudug region, where the murder took place, mandates Islamic law in such cases.

“Members of both Saabirin’s family and Diiriye’s family were present when the sentence was carried out,” said Faysal Sheikh Ali, Mudug’s governor.

Authorities said this was the first time in over 10 years that a woman had been executed under a retaliatory sentence in Puntland.

The last known execution of a woman in the region occurred in 2013, when 13 members of al‑Shabab, including one woman, were executed for involvement in killing a prominent Islamic scholar.

Diiriye’s victim was orphaned as a one-year-old after the deaths of both her parents. She was initially cared for by her family before her great-aunt agreed last year to let Diiriye’s household take her in as a domestic helper.

Police investigations revealed that during the two months Saabirin lived with Diiriye, she endured “routine physical abuse”, being beaten and tortured.

Evidence recovered from Diiriye’s phone, including videos and audio recordings, documented repeated violence. Some were leaked to the public before the trial.

In one recording, Diiriye can be heard saying: “I’m enjoying your pain.”

A post-mortem examination revealed multiple injuries and deep stab wounds consistent with prolonged abuse.

As investigation details emerged, public anger intensified. Hundreds of women and young people marched in Galkayo carrying signs reading “Justice for Saabirin” and calling for prosecution of all responsible.

Activists, elders, and community leaders have since called for accountability and stronger protections for children and domestic workers, who remain highly vulnerable to abuse.

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