The enforced disappearance of two Guinean opposition coalition members, Oumar Sylla, and Mamadou Bah, is disturbing as it suggests severe human rights violations.
Development Diaries reports that 17 October marks 100 days since security forces arbitrarily detained Sylla, Bah, and Mohamed Cissé, another opposition member, and transferred them to an unknown location.
According to Human Rights Watch (HRW), the Guinean government has yet to acknowledge their detention or disclose their whereabouts, despite being asked by lawyers representing the men.
This amounts to an enforced disappearance under international law.
Enforced disappearance is a crime under international law, constituting a denial of fundamental rights like the right to liberty and protection from arbitrary detention.
In this case, the Guinean authorities have denied responsibility for Sylla and Bah’s arrest, despite credible evidence and eyewitness accounts.
Their failure to disclose information on the whereabouts of these individuals or acknowledge their detention violates the victims’ right to legal protection and their families’ right to know the fate of their loved ones.
This situation underscores the growing crackdown on opposition voices in Guinea under the junta’s rule. Since the 2021 military coup, the regime has targeted members of the National Front for the Defence of the Constitution (FNDC), a coalition calling for the return of civilian rule.
The government’s actions suppress political dissent and also create a climate of fear among opposition figures and activists.
The allegations of torture, backed by reports from HRW and the UN, further suggest that Sylla and Bah may be subjected to inhumane treatment, another violation of international human rights norms.
The response from international actors like the UN, African Union, and International Criminal Court (ICC) signifies the gravity of the situation.
Development Diaries calls on the Guinean authorities to locate, release the activists and investigate allegations of torture.
Photo source: HRW
