GUINEE : BATTU, TORTURE ET LAISSE POUR MORT, LE JEUNE MILITANT ECHAPPE A LA BROYEUSE DE DOUMBOUYA.

A committed activist for democracy and human rights, Mohamed Cissé is among the many victims of the regime of Mamadi Doumbouya, the head of the junta who, according to him, sought to legitimize his coup by getting himself elected in an election contested by a segment of the Guinean population. Since Colonel Mamadi Doumbouya, former head of President Alpha Condé's special forces and promoted to general after the coup of September 5, 2021, came to power, fundamental freedoms have been steadily deteriorating in Guinea, according to numerous human rights organizations. Cases of enforced disappearances are regularly denounced, notably those of activists Foniké Menguè and Mamadou Billo Bah, who remain missing. "They abducted us. We were tortured, including at the presidential palace. There were three of us: my comrades Foniké Menguè and Mamadou Billo Bah, who are still missing, and myself." “I was tortured, beaten, and left for dead. I was finally rescued by the residents of Kaloum, a district in downtown Conakry,” recounts Mohamed Cissé, whom we recently met in Dakar. Mohamed Cissé was among those arrested, beaten, and tortured. But unlike his two companions, from whom there is still no news, he managed to survive and then seek refuge in Senegal. We met him for an exclusive interview on the sidelines of the third edition of the African Democracy Conference, held at the Théodore Monod Museum of African Art in Dakar. In this interview, Mohamed Cissé recounts his ordeal, paints an alarming picture of the state of democracy, human rights, and civil liberties in Guinea, and also discusses the difficulties he faces in his host country. According to him, he is forced to maintain a certain level of discretion, as Senegal does not want to be accused by the authorities in Conakry of serving as a rear base for their opponents. The young activist also confided that he feared for his safety. Faced with this situation, Mohamed Cissé also deplored the impotence of ECOWAS and called on the Guinean people to take their destiny into their own hands. “Today, there is practically no opposition left in Guinea. People are being abducted because of their opinions,” he told us. According to him, the repression is not only targeting political leaders. “Even senior figures in civil society are being abducted. Minors as young as 15, sometimes even younger, are arrested simply because their parents oppose the military regime,” he stated. Mohamed Cissé also said he does not recognize the legitimacy of the last elections organized by General Mamadi Doumbouya. However, this dramatic situation does not evoke any nostalgia for Alpha Condé’s regime in him. According to the activist, the former president bears a significant share of the responsibility for the political crisis that Guinea is currently experiencing. Watch our exclusive interview with Mohamed Cissé. #Guinea #MohamedCisse #MamadiDoumbouya #HumanRights #Democracy #Conakry #FonikeMengue #MamadouBilloBah #EnforcedDisappearances #Opposition #ECOWAS #Africa #ExclusiveInterview #ScienceInTheSouth #AfricanNews