Guinea: The transitional authorities are restricting civic space

In a ministerial decree published on the evening of Monday 8 August, the Guinean Minister for Territorial Administration and Decentralisation, Mory Condé, announced the dissolution of the National Front for the Defence of the Constitution (FNDC) – a coalition of political parties, trade unions and civil society organisations – which had organised large-scale demonstrations across the country against constitutional tampering and the third term of ousted President Alpha Condé (2010–2021), who was removed from office following a military coup on 5 September 2021.

The Minister’s decision to describe the FNDC as ‘a de facto group’ has no legal basis. As evidence of this, Law L/2005/013/AN establishing the framework for associations in the Republic of Guinea and Law L/2015/009 on the maintenance of public order in Guinea – which were cited, amongst other texts, by the authorities in their decree – make no mention of any ‘de facto association’.

This decision also constitutes a flagrant violation of Article 20 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Article 21 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, Article 11 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, and Articles 34 and 8(2) of the Guinean Transitional Charter.& nbsp;

Earlier, during the night of Friday to Saturday 30 July 2022, the FNDC’s national coordinator, Oumar Sylla, alias Foniké Mengué, had been arrested at his home by hooded and heavily armed soldiers. A few days later, Ibrahima Diallo, head of operations for the citizens’ movement, and Saikou Yaya Barry, executive secretary of the Union of Republican Forces (UFR), a Guinean opposition party, were also arrested and remanded in custody at Conakry Central Prison.

They have been charged with “participation in an unauthorised assembly, looting, destruction of public and private property, arson and causing grievous bodily harm” following the demonstrations on 28 and 29 July, which were brutally suppressed by the defence and security forces and which officially left five people dead and around ten injured.

AfricTivistes is concerned about the deteriorating human rights situation in Guinea and the shrinking of civic space by the ruling military junta.  We deplore the lack of genuine dialogue, which has led to the political deadlock in the country.

Africtivistes is calling on the transitional authorities to avoid escalation, to reconsider their decision to dissolve the citizens’ movement, to lift the ban on demonstrations imposed since May, and to guarantee the exercise of the rights and freedoms granted to citizens.

We also call on the transitional government to prioritise consultation and dialogue in order to bring the crisis to a swift end, by facilitating the organisation of free and transparent elections within a reasonable timeframe.

AfricTivistes is calling on the Guinean government to launch an investigation to shed light on the deaths and human rights violations recorded during the protests.

Ultimately, we call on the international community and human rights organisations in Africa and around the world to address the situation in Guinea, to bring the junta back to its senses and to prevent the situation from spiralling out of control.