Guinea: Growing concern for the health and well-being of disappeared human rights defenders

GENEVA (10 October 2024) – UN and African Commission on Human and Peoples Rights experts said today fears were growing that abducted human rights defenders Mamadou Billo Bah and Oumar Sylla were at risk of torture, ill-treatment and extrajudicial execution for defending democracy and human rights.

“Placing human rights defenders outside of the protection of the law by failing to address these allegations and by concealing their deprivation of liberty amounts to an enforced disappearance, a violation whose prohibition has attained the status of jus cogens under international law,” the experts said.

“We urge the Guinean authorities to immediately unveil the fate and whereabouts of Mr. Billo Bah and Mr. Sylla, to release them and to protect their rights, and if the allegations are confirmed, to identify, try and punish those responsible for their enforced disappearance,” they said.

A group of about 10 people, including armed military officers and other individuals in civilian clothing, reportedly stormed a residential building in Conakry around 10pm on 7 July 2024, violently apprehended the pair and took them away in an armoured vehicle of the Guinean special forces. On 11 July 2024, the human rights defenders were reportedly taken to the detention centre on Kassa Island. The authorities have allegedly failed to disclose their fate and whereabouts or provide any information on their state of health and well-being.

“We deeply regret that their enforced disappearance might be in connection to their legitimate work as coordinators of Tournons La Page Guinea (TLP-Guinea) and mobilisers of the National Front for the Defense of the Constitution (FNDC),” the experts said. “Abducting political activists, human rights defenders or members of the opposition generates a chilling effect and contributes to the occurrence of human rights violations affecting the community at large who rely on their work to protect their rights.”

The experts said they were also concerned by allegations that other detainees have been denied outside communication in conditions that could amount to enforced disappearance and reportedly had died in custody because of aggravated health issues and lack of timely and sufficient medical care.

The experts recalled the importance of enhancing measures to effectively address impunity for gross human rights violations, including international crimes, and ensuring the rights of the victims to truth, justice and reparations.

The experts reiterated their joint statement ahead of the first-ever World Congress on Enforced Disappearances and called on all stakeholders, including the victims as well as organisations, human rights defenders and lawyers who defend them, to undertake concerted action and work on concrete plans to end enforced disappearances.

The experts are in contact with the Government on this issue.