The junta in power in Guinea announced to requisition the army in the face of new opposition demonstrations scheduled for Wednesday, May 17 and Thursday, May 18, 2023 and threatened to enforce anti-terrorist laws providing up to life imprisonment against those responsible for a “crisis situation”.
The Minister of Territorial Administration, Mory Condé, said Tuesday, May 16 in a statement read on national television that the opposition demonstrations are the occasion of a “real urban guerrilla” where the demonstrators, “with unprecedented violence, reign terror” and attack the security forces with “lethal means”.
“We took legal responsibility by requisition (…) on 15 May 2023 to seek the assistance of the armed forces to support the police forces and the gendarmerie that were in trouble (to) maintain and restore public order,” the statement said.
Minister threatens to enforce anti-terrorism laws that provide for perpetual imprisonment against anyone who commits an act that endangers the lives or freedoms of others with intent “to intimidate, to provoke a situation of terror, to create a feeling of insecurity within the populations”, to exert pressure on the State or to create “a situation of crisis within the populations”, according to the articles of the penal code read on television.
The law applies to anyone who sponsors, finances or encourages such acts, the texts say.
Guinea is ruled by a junta that took power by force in September 2021 under the leadership of Colonel Mamady Doumbouya.
The military has consented under international pressure to make room for elected civilians by the end of 2024, the time for deep reforms, they say.
The junta has arrested a number of opposition leaders and launched legal proceedings against others. It has banned all demonstrations since 2022.
The opposition denounces the authoritarian and exclusive conduct of the so-called transition period, which is supposed to precede the return of civilians. Attempts at dialogue and the recent mediation of religious leaders have failed.
The opposition called for a demonstration on Wednesday and Thursday to call for an end to “fanciful” legal proceedings, the restoration of the right to protest and the opening of a real dialogue under the presidency of the Community of West African States.
Previous demonstrations have resulted in several civilian deaths. In a country customary to political violence and long ruled by autocratic regimes, security forces have long been accused by human rights defenders of excessive use of force and impunity.
The minister of the Administration of the territory blames the violence committed during the demonstrations under the junta on “certain individuals from abroad (…) with the help of certain political actors”. He doesn’t say what he means.
Former president Alpha Condé, who was ousted in 2021, or opposition leader Cellou Dalein Diallo, among others, have been abroad for several months.
