News
- by Gilbert Noël OUEDRAOGO – Acting President, Africa Liberal Network (ALN)
Date: 30 December 2019
Release: Immediate
As part of his address to the Nation on Thursday, December 19, 2019, President Alpha Condé publicly confirmed his intention to change the Guinean Constitution by referendum, despite the strong popular protests expressed since October 14.
These protests, organized by the National Front for the Defense of the Constitution (FNDC), a broad coalition federating all the political Parties of the Opposition, the organizations of the civil society and the trade unions, gave place to a bloody repression of the capacity leaving 25 dead, aged 14 to 32, dozens of gunshot wounds and numerous arbitrary arrests.
The African Liberal Network deplores these serious and massive violations of human rights and urges the authorities to promptly conduct investigations to identify and bring to justice the perpetrators and sponsors of these wrongdoings.
Extremely concerned by the violations of the constitutional and democratic order compromising peace and stability in Guinea and in the sub-region, the African Liberal Network calls for respect for the principles of constitutional convergence provided for in article 1 of Protocol A / ECOWAS SP1 / 12/01 on Democracy and Good Governance, namely:
- Any accession to power must be done through free, fair, and transparent elections.
- Any anti-constitutional change is prohibited, as is any undemocratic mode of gaining or remaining in power.
- Popular participation in decision-making, strict respect for democratic principles, and the decentralization of power to all levels of government.
- The army is apolitical and subject to regularly established political authority.
- The state is secular and remains entirely neutral.
The African Liberal Network also urges Guinea to respect the obligations arising for it from the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance, the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and the UN protection instruments human rights it has ratified.
The African Liberal Network will continue to closely monitor the situation of fundamental rights and freedoms in Guinea, foremost among which is the right to life, conditioning the enjoyment of all other rights, but also and above all, respect for democratic principles and ‘Rule of law.
Media Enquiries
Gilbert Noël OUEDRAOGO
Acting President, Africa Liberal Network
+226 7064 7117
Ousmane Ben Fana Traore
West Africa Vice President, Africa Liberal Network
+223 7310 5050
