Civil society groups and political parties in Guinea are urging the immediate release of Aliou Bah, an opposition leader arrested for allegedly “insulting” the country’s military ruler, General Mamady Doumbouya. The arrest is seen as part of a broader crackdown on dissent by the government, which seized power in a 2021 coup that ousted President Alpha Conde.
Bah, leader of the Liberal Democratic Movement (MoDel), was detained last Thursday while traveling to Sierra Leone with two colleagues. His arrest has sparked widespread condemnation, with over 150 academics, journalists, and activists denouncing the act as “arbitrary” and a move to suppress voices critical of the government.
In a joint statement, the group accused Doumbouya’s ruling National Committee for Reconciliation and Development (CNRD) of pursuing a “systematic elimination” of opposition figures. “We reject terror and brutality,” the statement read, adding that the junta’s actions reflect a troubling return to serious human rights violations in the region.
The detention comes amidst reports of increasing kidnappings, forced disappearances, and arrests targeting activists and critics of the military government. Two prominent anti-junta activists have been missing since their detention in July, and several others, including journalists and former officials, have faced similar fates.
International organizations and rights groups have expressed alarm over the government’s failure to uphold commitments to transition to civilian rule by the end of 2024, as initially pledged. Instead, the military government has intensified its clampdown on opposition and extended its grip on power.
Amid mounting pressure, analysts and human rights advocates are calling for Guinea’s authorities to respect fundamental freedoms and ensure accountability for their actions. However, the government remains defiant, with little indication of a shift in its approach to governance.