GENEVA - UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk today called on the transitional authorities in Guinea to ensure all eligible voters, candidates, and political parties can meaningfully participate in the presidential and parliamentary elections scheduled for December.
The High Commissioner spoke in the aftermath of the 21 September referendum on a new constitution, which was marred by bans on political parties and media outlets, reports of arbitrary arrests and detentions, as well as enforced disappearances.
"Going forward, it is critical for the transitional authorities to ensure that processes towards restoring constitutional rule are conducted in line with international human rights norms and standards, including on public participation, inclusiveness and transparency," Türk said. "The military authorities in Guinea must first and foremost lift the unacceptable bans on political parties and media outlets."
The transitional authorities banned three leading opposition parties in the lead-up to the referendum vote, halting their campaigns. They also suspended several media outlets, among them Guineematin, presseinvestigation.com, West Africa TV, Sweet FM, Espace FM, Sabari FM and Sab TV.
The bans are the latest in a broader assault on fundamental rights in Guinea since the September 2021 coup. Since May 2022, the transitional authorities have maintained a blanket ban on political gatherings and peaceful demonstrations, citing security concerns. The prohibition has been applied broadly, in violation of Guinea's international human rights obligations, including the fundamental rights to freedom of expression, assembly and association.
Arbitrary arrests and enforced disappearances also appear to be on the rise. The UN Human Rights Office is aware of at least 10 individuals whose whereabouts remain unknown following their arrests by security forces. There are concerns that these individuals, including the author and activist Oumar Sylla, also known as Foniké Mengué, as well as former Secretary General of the Ministry of Mines Saadou Nimaga, and the journalist Habib Marouane Camara, may have been subjected to enforced disappearance, in violation of international human rights law.
Türk called on the transitional authorities to release all arbitrarily detained individuals and those subjected to enforced disappearances, and to ensure effective, independent and impartial investigations into all suspected arbitrary arrests and enforced disappearances.
In the lead up to the 16th anniversary of the mass killings by the security and military forces of at least 156 opposition supporters at the Conakry Stadium on 28 September 2009, the High Commissioner renewed his call for further steps to be undertaken by the transitional authorities to ensure accountability, truth, justice, reparations and guarantees of non-repetition, consistent with international human rights law.
"The military authorities' decision earlier this year to pardon and release former President Moussa Dadis Camarra, who had been convicted and sentenced to 20 years' imprisonment for crimes against humanity in connection with the 28 September killings, is especially troubling. I renew my call for the pardon to be voided. International law prohibits pardons for such serious crimes," said Türk.
