Communiqué  Posté le 08:48 25-05-2022, modifié le 08:48 25-05-2022 par Tournons la Page

On May 13, 2022, the National Rallying Committee for Development (CNRD), the military junta in power in Guinea, decided to ban "all demonstrations on the public highway that could jeopardize social quietude (...) until the election period. Seven civil society organizations and groups are demanding the immediate restoration of the right of peaceful assembly. 

In a joint statement, seven civil society organizations express their deep concern about this unilateral decision of the military power which aims to annihilate any public protest in the coming months.

This decision violates international treaties and conventions to which Guinea has freely subscribed, notably Article 20 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Article 21 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and Article 11 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights.

The ban on demonstrations is also in flagrant contradiction with Article 34 of the Guinean Transitional Charter, which guarantees freedom of association and assembly and which, in Article 8 paragraph 2, states that "no situation of exception or emergency should justify violations of human rights.

The signatory organizations express their concerns in a context marked by the contestation of the decision of the National Transitional Council (CNT) and CNRD to extend the duration of the transition to three years (36 months).

"This attack on the right to demonstrate hinders the ability of members of civil society and all groups opposed to the military transition to express themselves and to meet. It is a restriction of civic space," said Marc ONA, president of Tournons La Page. 

Guinea is emerging from a cycle of deadly repression with the death of at least 50 people between October 2019 and July 2020, allegedly victims of the security forces during the demonstrations against the third term of deposed President Alpha Conde.

"Recent history in Guinea shows that the risks of repression of demonstrations are great in the country and that the use of lethal weapons and excessive force are common at the level of police forces," said Clément Boursin, Africa Officer at ACAT-France.

The signatory organizations call on the ruling junta in Guinea to reverse its decision to ban demonstrations. They also call on all of Guinea's international partners to act firmly in favor of opening up civic space and respecting human rights.

May 25, 2022,

Signatory organizations:

ACAT France
Amnesty International
Agir Ensemble pour les droits humains
Confédération française démocratique du travail (CFDT)
CCFD-Terre Solidaire
CRID
Tournons La Page

Press contacts:

Louis Linel, Communication and Advocacy Officer – ACAT France
communication@acatfrance.fr | +33 1 40 40 74 10 | +33 6 27 76 83 27

Moyra Oblitas, Communication Officer – Tournons La Page
moyra.oblitas@tournonslapage.org / +33 7 50 02 96 58