SLAM-GLOBAL Writes Amnesty International Over Escalating Human Rights Violations in Sierra Leone

The Sierra Leone Advocacy Movement (SLAM-GLOBAL) has sent an urgent letter to Amnesty International, calling for immediate action and accountability in response to escalating human rights violations in Sierra Leone.

The letter, dated December 2024, expresses deep concern over the worsening situation, particularly regarding the government’s failure to address past abuses and the continued suppression of peaceful protests.

SLAM-GLOBAL references Amnesty International’s March 2023 report, which highlighted the violent suppression of protests in August 2022, where Sierra Leone’s state security forces used excessive force, leading to over 30 deaths, including women and children.

Despite Amnesty’s call for independent investigations into these killings, the Sierra Leone government, under President Julius Maada Bio, has not taken any significant steps to ensure accountability. The Special Committee set up to investigate the events has yet to disclose its findings, indicating a lack of political will to bring perpetrators to justice.

The letter underscores that the situation has not improved. In a disturbing continuation of the trend, two prominent figures, Mr. Thomas Babadi and Mr. Maddie Williams, were arrested on December 4, 2024, for coordinating a peaceful protest demanding transparency in the June 2023 election results.

Their arrest mirrors the tactics used during the 2022 protests, including arbitrary detention, suppression of freedom of expression, and the continued use of excessive force by security forces.

SLAM-GLOBAL highlights several recent incidents that point to a pattern of state-sponsored violence and arbitrary arrests. These include the killings of Captain Aiah Aba Senesie and Captain Tamba Lansana Conteh, which reflect the ongoing use of force to stifle dissent. The letter also points to arbitrary military dismissals based on ethnic and regional biases, which further threaten national unity.

Additionally, the assassination of vocal government critic Hassan Conteh, also known as “Evangelist Samson,” has drawn further attention to the deteriorating human rights situation in Sierra Leone.

SLAM-GLOBAL also highlights the ongoing suppression of peaceful protests, emphasizing violations of Sections 25 and 26 of the Sierra Leone Constitution, which guarantee the rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly.

SLAM-GLOBAL calls on Amnesty International to renew its previous recommendations for independent investigations into the August 2022 killings, which have yet to be fully addressed. The group also urges the organization to document and report on the recent abuses, including extrajudicial killings and the ongoing suppression of peaceful protests.

The letter also demands the publication of the findings of the Special Committee on the 2022 killings and the release of disaggregated results from the 2023 elections, calling for greater transparency in the electoral process.

SLAM-GLOBAL further urges Amnesty International to engage regional and international bodies, including ECOWAS, the African Union, and the United Nations, to address the human rights violations in Sierra Leone and impose sanctions on those responsible for these atrocities.

The letter concludes by stressing that the human rights situation in Sierra Leone has reached a critical point. The ongoing cycle of violence, suppression, and lack of accountability poses a serious threat to democracy, human rights, and regional stability.

SLAM-GLOBAL reaffirms its commitment to assisting Amnesty International’s efforts by providing detailed accounts of recent abuses and facilitating connections with victims and their families.