A/HRC/12/44 page 12 2. Arbitrary arrest and detention, and summary executions 45. Arbitrary arrests and detentions, including prolonged detention before the initial court appearance, and executions following proceedings by Islamic courts have been documented in some parts of the country. In addition, impunity for violations of human rights and international humanitarian laws, which has accompanied the Somali crisis since the beginning, has remained entrenched. 3. The right to freedom of opinion and expression 46. Six journalists have been killed in south-central Somalia since the beginning of 2009, some in targeted killings attributed to insurgents, others caught in cross-fire during fighting. In addition, journalists face increasing risks in the form of threats and intimidation from and by the authorities and armed opposition groups. As a result, the work of journalists in the south-central region has become particularly precarious and limited. 4. Violence against women 47. As is often the case in traditional societies, violence against women in Somalia is rarely reported. However, Somali non-governmental organizations working with victims of gender-based violence report that this type of violence occurs on a daily basis. (a) Violence against women in Somalia directly related to the armed conflict 48. Since both sides to the armed conflict are involved in indiscriminate attacks against the civilian population, women are especially affected, as they run most small businesses (for example, in markets) or stay in the family home. Most attacks occur during the day. 49. Women-headed refugee families are especially vulnerable in Somali society. Women heading households in camps of internally displaced persons often work as house helps in private homes, risking their health and lives on their way to work because of the insecurity in the streets. They are often subjected to sexual exploitation and abuse by their male employers. (b) Violence against women in Somalia related to the absence of rule of law and a culture of impunity 50. Women human rights defenders continue to be targets of attack by those who find that their work goes against their interest. Four women journalists were reported to have been accused and intimidated by both sides for being partisan. The insurgency accused them of being engaged in activities contradictory to Islam, while the Government is said to detain women journalists in detention facilities that do not guarantee the basic rights of women in detention as a means of intimidation. 51. In all parts of Somalia, including Somaliland and Puntland, there are no adequate detention facilities for women, who are thus extremely vulnerable to violence by fellow male detainees or male wardens. 52. In contradiction to applicable Somali law, sharia law is applied in an extreme form in areas not controlled by the Transitional Federal Government. This is often extremely detrimental to