Guinea must fully respect the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and ensure that excessive force is not used against protesters and other citizens during the election period and beyond, said Amnesty International as campaigning for the election starts today.
Considering this fragile period, it’s crucial to create conditions where citizens are able to safely exercise their rights to freedom of expression, association and peaceful assembly in the context of the electoral process
Francois Patuel, Amnesty International West Africa researcher.
“The government must do everything within its power to ensure that there is no repeat of the excessive use of force meted out against protesters earlier this year.”
During the protests held in April and May 2015, at least six people were killed and more than one hundred people, including children, were injured following clashes with the security forces. Hundreds of protesters were arrested in circumstances amounting to arbitrary arrest.
Eight candidates, including the incumbent president, will start their campaigns ahead of the 11 October Presidential Election. Amnesty International experts will be closely monitoring the campaign and the election, and are available for interviews.