Ahead of an opposition rally coinciding with the third anniversary of the military’s rise to power in Guinea, the junta announced it would suspend granting approvals to associations and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) on Monday 2 September.
This delivery is suspended for four months due to “actions to disrupt public order carried out on the ground by several NGOs and associative movements”, “The Minister of Territorial Administration, General Ibrahima Kalil Condé, said in a decision published on social media. The renewal of the approvals will be subject to the authorities’ evaluation of the performance of these associations and NGOs. But the text does not clearly state whether the approvals currently in force remain valid or whether they are also suspended.
This is the latest restriction imposed by the military, which overthrew the civilian authorities on September 5, 2021, under the leadership of Colonel Mamadi Doumbouya, who has since been sworn in as president and promoted to general.
Disappearance of two opponents
The opposition is calling for demonstrations on Thursday to demand the return of civilians to power, the restoration of freedoms, an end to repression and the release of two protesters, Foniké Menguè and Mamadou Billo Bah, who have been missing since their arrest on July 9. General Doumbouya is currently in China for a summit with dozens of African leaders.
The junta has banned all demonstrations in 2022 and dissolved a civil society group that advocated for the return of civilians to the leadership of this poor West African country with a turbulent and violent recent history. On May 22, authorities withdrew the approval of four radio stations and two television stations of Guinea’s main private media.
The brutal crackdown on unauthorised demonstrations, however, has led to the deaths of at least 47 people between September 2021 and April 2024, according to Amnesty International. Many opposition leaders have been arrested, charged before judges or driven into exile. The junta initially pledged, under international pressure, to give way to elected civilians by the end of 2024. Before going back on this commitment.
