A coalition of 25 local and international human rights organizations is urging Guinean authorities to immediately reveal the fate of two opposition activists—Omar Sylla and Mamadou Billo Bah—who were forcibly disappeared one year ago. The call comes amid a worsening climate of repression under the military-led transitional government, which took power following a coup in 2021.
The two men, both prominent figures in the now-dissolved National Front for the Defense of the Constitution (FNDC), were abducted from Sylla’s residence in the capital Conakry on July 9, 2024, by armed men believed to be members of the country’s Special Forces. Their disappearance occurred just days before a planned protest organized by the FNDC to denounce media censorship, the rising cost of living, and the military junta’s prolonged stay in power.
In a joint statement released Tuesday, the rights groups—including Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and several Guinean civil society organizations—condemned what they described as “a dangerous pattern of enforced disappearances, intimidation, and repression of dissenting voices.” They accused the authorities of failing to conduct credible investigations and of fostering a “climate of fear” to silence calls for a return to civilian rule.
“There is no indication that the authorities have carried out a genuine investigation to locate Omar Sylla and Mamadou Billo Bah or to hold those responsible accountable,” the statement said. “We urge the Guinean government to immediately disclose their fate and whereabouts, and to end the culture of impunity that allows such abuses to continue.”
The FNDC was a leading civil society coalition that rose to prominence in 2019 by opposing a constitutional revision aimed at extending the term of former President Alpha Condé. Since the 2021 military coup led by Colonel Mamady Doumbouya, the group has continued to demand a swift transition to democratic governance. The government dissolved the FNDC in 2022, labeling it as a threat to national security.
According to a third FNDC member who was abducted alongside Sylla and Bah but released the following day, the two men were taken to the Los Islands archipelago, where they were reportedly subjected to interrogation and torture. Despite these reports, authorities have repeatedly denied detaining them and have offered no credible explanation for their disappearance.
On July 17, 2024, Guinea’s public prosecutor announced the launch of what he called “thorough and comprehensive investigations” into several cases of abduction, including those involving Sylla and Bah. However, one year later, no findings have been made public, and no one has been held accountable.
The rights groups emphasized that the Guinean government has an obligation under international law to investigate enforced disappearances and to ensure that victims’ families have access to justice and remedies. They warned that the lack of transparency surrounding this case undermines public trust in the country’s institutions and threatens the prospects for a peaceful political transition.
The ongoing crackdown on civil society has raised concerns among regional and international observers. Several other activists and journalists have faced harassment, arrest, or threats in recent months. Despite public pressure, the military government has so far resisted calls to set a clear and credible timetable for elections.
Although the junta has promised to hold a constitutional referendum in September followed by national elections in December 2025, many within Guinea’s civil society remain skeptical, citing a lack of dialogue, increasing militarization, and growing human rights abuses.
“The Guinean people deserve answers, accountability, and a government that upholds the rule of law,” the joint statement concluded. “The enforced disappearance of Omar Sylla and Mamadou Billo Bah is not just a violation of their rights—it is an attack on every citizen’s right to speak freely, organize, and demand justice.”
