The United Nations human rights chief, Volker Turk, on Thursday called on Guinea’s military authorities to lift sweeping bans on opposition parties and media outlets ahead of elections scheduled for December.
Since the 2021 coup that ousted President Alpha Conde, General Mamady Doumbouya’s junta has banned demonstrations, suspended political parties and media houses, and detained opposition figures. Many leaders have also been forced into exile.
“The military authorities in Guinea must first and foremost lift the unacceptable bans on political parties and media outlets,” Turk said in a statement, stressing that the transition back to civilian rule must respect international human rights standards.
His appeal follows a constitutional referendum in which Guineans approved a new charter that allows elections but also permits Doumbouya to run for president. Prime Minister Amadou Oury Bah has reaffirmed the government’s commitment to holding polls later this year.
Turk condemned rising cases of arbitrary arrests and enforced disappearances, naming missing activist Oumar Sylla (Fonike Mengue) and journalist Habib Marouane Camara among at least 10 unaccounted for. He urged authorities to release detainees, investigate abuses, and void the pardon granted to ex-president Moussa Dadis Camarra, sentenced to 20 years for crimes against humanity in the 2009 massacre.
What you should know
Guinea’s junta faces growing international pressure as elections near. The UN is demanding political freedoms, accountability for past crimes, and safeguards for human rights to ensure a credible democratic transition.
