We Have Lived In Darkness: A Human Rights Agenda for Guinea's New Government

Thursday, March 24, 2011
Africa
Western Africa
Guinea

“We Have Lived in Darkness”

A Human Rights Agenda for Guinea's New Government

Summary
Recommendations
To the New Government of Guinea and President
To Address Accountability for Past Abuses and Create a Culture of Respect for Human Rights
To Strengthen the Judiciary
To Address Indiscipline and Impunity within the Security Forces
To Address Endemic Corruption
To the International Contact Group on Guinea
To Guinean Civil Society and Human Rights Groups
To the European Union, the United States, France, China, International Financial Institutions and Other International Partners
To the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS)
To the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights
Methodology
I. Background: Decades of Impunity from Independence to the Fourth Republic
First Republic: Ahmed Sékou Touré's Reign of Terror
Second and Third Republics under Lansana Conté: Entrenching Impunity and Making the Criminal State
Fourth Republic: The “Dadis Show”
II. Accountability for Past Abuses
Justice for the Victims of the 2009 Stadium Massacre, Sexual Violence and Other Crimes
Weaknesses within the Judiciary
Security of Judicial Personnel and Witnesses
The Need for Legal Reforms
Lack of Law Criminalizing Crimes against Humanity or Torture
Independent National Commission of Inquiry into the 2007 Violence
III. Truth-Telling Mechanism..
IV. Strengthening the Guinean Judiciary
Insufficient Budget for the Judiciary
Inadequate Funds for Operations, Staffing and Infrastructure
Inadequate Remuneration of Judges
Lack of Funds for Defense
Independence of the Judiciary
Insufficient Numbers of Lawyers
Need for Revision of Laws and Training
Detention-Related Abuses
Extended Pre-trial Detention
Inadequate Prison Conditions
V. Independent National Human Rights Institution
VI. The Security Sector: Vector of Instability or Guarantor of Security?
Rapid Growth of the Army
Inadequate Political Will to Ensure Discipline and Accountability for Abuses
Police
Need for Security Sector Reform..
VII. Impunity for Economic Crimes
The National Assembly (L'Assemblée Nationale)
Acknowledgments