TRIBUNE
Article reserved for subscribers
A collective of NGOs calls on the future French government to publicly condemn human rights violations in Guinea and demands the immediate release of the two Guinean activists Foniké Menguè and Mamadou Billo Bah, denouncing media censorship.
It has now been two months since Oumar Sylla, known as Foniké Menguè, and Mamadou Billo Bah, Guinean activists from Tournons La Page (TLP-Guinée) and the National Front for the Defense of the Constitution (FNDC), were kidnapped. On July 9, they disappeared while participating in a peaceful citizen campaign denouncing media censorship in Guinea.
Despite reports pointing the finger at security forces for their abduction, Guinean authorities have denied any responsibility, saying they do not know where they are. Mohamed Cissé, an activist captured alongside them before being released, has spoken out on social media about the forced displacement and torture he and his comrades have suffered. The situation is causing great concern, fueling both anger and fear among their loved ones, but also within the entire community committed to defending human rights and democracy in Guinea.
A few months before the planned end of the military transition, the political climate is becoming increasingly alarming. Brought to power by a coup d’état on September 5, 2021, the military had initially raised many hopes among the population. However, three years later, the disillusionment is bitter. The President of the transition, Mamadi Doumbouya, now leads a state where repression, authoritarianism and violence reign. Any form of criticism is severely repressed.
Intensification of repression
From 2022, after having dissolved