A/HRC/21/61 I. Introduction 1. The present report is submitted pursuant to Human Rights Council resolution 17/25, in which the Council, inter alia, renewed the mandate of the Independent Expert on the situation of human rights in Somalia for one year, and requested him to report to the Council at its twenty-first session. The present report covers the period from September 2011 to early August 2012. 2. The Independent Expert undertook his eighth field visit to Somalia and Kenya from 15 to 25 April 2012. He visited Nairobi, Hargeysa in Somaliland, Garoowe and Boosaaso in Puntland, and Mogadishu, the federal capital of Somalia. With the support of a military convoy provided by the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM), the Independent Expert was able to spend two days and nights in Mogadishu and to travel twice through the city to meet with the Prime Minister, the Minister for the Interior and other senior officials 3. In Nairobi, the Independent Expert held meetings with the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Somalia, Augustine Mahiga, and the Chief of Staff, Hasmik Egian, who provided him with useful insights into the challenges faced by the United Nations in moving the road map to end the transition in Somalia forward. He received extensive briefings from the Human Rights Unit of the United Nations Political Office for Somalia (UNPOS), the Joint Constitution Unit, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Human Rights Working Group of the European Union. 4. In Mogadishu, the Independent Expert held wide-ranging discussions with the Prime Minister of the Transitional Federal Government, Abdiweli Mohamed Ali, who reiterated his commitment to bring the transition to a successful conclusion despite the security challenges. The Independent Expert also met the Minister for the Interior and National Security, Abdisamad Mohamed Hassan, who briefed him on the overall military and security situation in South-Central Somalia and the Government policy on Al-Shabaab defectors and prisoners of war. The Mayor of Mogadishu apprised the Independent Expert on the difficult security challenges his office faced in providing basic services to people living in liberated areas. The meeting with the technical Working Group on Justice and Corrections, at which the Attorney-General was also present, helped the Independent Expert to understand the grim picture that exists in the country as a result of the collapse of the justice and correction system. 5. In Mogadishu the Independent Expert received useful briefings from representatives of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, UNICEF, the United Nations Mine Action Centre and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), as well as the Deputy Humanitarian Coordinator. He was also briefed by the AMISOM Force Commander and the Deputy Special Representative of the African Union Chairperson on the military front. 6. The Independent Expert met with journalists and human rights defenders of Mogadishu. He learned how they constantly took risks working in one of the most dangerous cities of the world. 7. In Somaliland, the Independent Expert met with Ministers and senior officials of the Government. In Puntland, he participated in the closing ceremony for the adoption of the new Constitution of Puntland, held in Garoowe. He later met with the President, members of his Cabinet and others. During his visit to Bossasso in Puntland, he observed first-hand the situation of internally displaced persons and the problems they faced. 3