Guinea

Guinea: Amnesty International Says At Least 10 People Killed In Police Firing

The international rights group, Amnesty International, on Sunday said at least 10 people were killed in Guinea in firing by security forces at protesters during post-election unrest, reported Al Jazeera.

In a statement, the United Kingdom-based rights group said statements of witness and video analysis proved that security forces targeted protesters. The group also condemned internet disruptions during the post-election violence.

Guinea’s electoral commission declared President Alpha Conde as the winner of the presidential election with 59.49 percent of the votes. Opposition candidate Cellou Dalein Diallo, Conde’s nearest rival, won 33.5 percent of the vote.

Diallo, who is a former prime minister, also finished runner-up to Conde in the 2010 and 2015 elections. He has disputed the voting result and claimed his victory a day after the contested October 18 poll. His victory claim triggered clashes between his supporters and security forces across the country.

Diallo said he has evidence of fraud and plans to file a complaint with the Constitutional Court. Under the law, complaints must be filed within eight days of the preliminary results.

Last week, monitors from the African Union and the 15-nation ECOWAS said election was mostly fair.

The post-election violence in Guinea has been condemned by international observers and several other countries.

 In a statement, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urged Conde and the opposition “to prevail on their supporters to immediately end the violence and engage in meaningful dialogue to find a peaceful solution”.

He said that the United Nations stands ready to support a dialogue process towards a rapid and peaceful resolution of the crisis.

Human Rights Watch (HRW) also called on security forces to exercise restraint in responding to protests.

Ida Sawyer, HRW’s deputy Africa director, warned that continued repression risks inflaming an already tense situation and could have disastrous repercussions

“Those responsible for excessive force during protests this week should be held to account,” the HRW official said.

Caroline Finnegan

A professionnal journalist for the past ten years, I cover global news and economic affairs for The Chief Observer.

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