The European Parliament strongly condemned, on Thursday 13 February, the attacks on fundamental freedoms in the Republic of Guinea and called on the government to take urgent measures to ensure that the right to demonstrate freely is respected.
In a resolution adopted by a show of hands, it condemns in particular the breaches of the freedom of assembly and speech, as well as recent acts of brute force by security personnel against political protesters, killings and other human rights abuses.
Parliament recalls that since mid-October the country has seen mass demonstrations, with the opposition fearing that President Alpha Condé may seek to extend his constitutional powers and stay in his position beyond the current presidential mandates, which are restricted to two terms (see EUROPE 12422/23).
MEPs believe that the government's response to the violent demonstrations was heavy-handed and that the police reacted with excessive, undue and illegal use of force against the protestors. They urge all parties concerned to avoid a further escalation of violence and the authorities to investigate in order to be able to prosecute members of the security forces against whom there is evidence of criminal responsibility. (Original version in French by Aminata Niang)