Guinea - Civil Society Groups Urge Restraint - 101 Organizations Unite to Condemn Attacks On Civilians, Rights Defenders, Political Figures

A total of 101 organizations from Guinean, French, regional, and international civil society today condemned the violence and attacks against civilian populations, human rights defenders, and Guinean political figures during the past three months in Guinea. The organizations called upon all concerned, and in particular the national authorities, to exhibit restraint and moderation.

The violence that has marked the campaign period for the second round of presidential elections, including disproportionate intervention by defense and security forces responsible for - attacks, arbitrary arrests and detention, theft, and home robbery - violate national law. The actions by the state security forces, furthermore, violate international human rights law. These actions underline yet again, as did the events of September 28, 2009, and those of 2007, the impunity enjoyed by members of the defense and security forces implicated in human rights violations.

In any future demonstrations, Guinean security forces need to respect the UN Basic Principles on the Use of Force and Firearms by Law Enforcement Officials in dispersing demonstrators. These basic principles require security forces to first use nonviolent means before resorting to force. If the legitimate use of force proves necessary, members of the security forces must exercise restraint, minimize at all times any likelihood of damage or injury, and respect and preserve human life in all circumstances in accordance with article 4 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights.

The organizations also denounced all attempts or intentions to pit communities against one another, where the main objective appears to be to undermine the transition process by endangering the second round of elections and threatening the move to democracy in Guinea.

The 101 organizations from Guinean, French, regional, and international civil society called upon:
Guinean civil and military authorities to stop abuses of power by defense and security forces; take necessary measures to shed light on the recent events and sanction the perpetrators of human rights violations; guarantee free, fair, and transparent presidential elections; and apply the UN Basic Principles on the Use of Force;
 he two presidential candidates and their supporters to respect and strictly apply the codes of conduct they have signed in order to ensure the presidential election's proper conduct and result, and to accept settlement of all electoral differences using constitutional means, including the judicial system; and
Members of the International Contact Group for Guinea (ICG-G), concerned international organizations, and the broader international community to engage alongside the Guinean people to support and guarantee the security of civilian populations, human rights defenders, journalists, and civil society, as well as the validity and transparency of the second- round presidential election, notably by the presence of sufficient numbers of civil and military observers leading up to, during, and after the polling period.