African NGOs Demand Independent Probe After Mass Grave Found in Guinea

A group of 20 African civil society organizations is demanding an independent and transparent investigation after six bound and blindfolded male bodies were discovered in a mass grave in southwest Guinea. The bodies were found on August 24 in the Forecariah administrative prefecture by local men gathering firewood. Among the calling organizations are the Afrikajom Center and several branches of Tournons la Page (TLP). These groups are calling for the support of national and international forensic experts to identify the victims and determine the cause of death. The NGOs stated that the circumstances suggest the victims may have been subjected to extrajudicial, summary, or arbitrary executions. They further noted that TLP Guinea has documented at least 35 cases of enforced disappearances since September 5, 2021.

Guinea's Armed Forces confirmed the discovery and stated that the bodies were transported to a hospital in Forécariah for identification and to determine the circumstances of the deaths. The military promised that all measures are being taken to shed light on the matter and that the results of the investigation will be made public. Additionally, France has called for a transparent and independent investigation into the site. One report noted that another mass grave was discovered in the same region last year, though the victims and causes of death remain undetermined.

These events occur amid a crackdown on dissent following General Mamadi Doumbouya's 2021 coup. Since he took power, several political parties have been suspended, protests have been suppressed, and many opposition and civil society leaders have been arrested, sentenced, or forced into exile. In a separate development, TLP reported the deaths of four detainees at the Siguiri detention center. While the Siguiri prosecutor denied allegations of torture and violence, stating that detainees are treated well, the organization described the deaths as inadmissible.