MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on Guinea Conakry, notably violance towards protestors

11.2.2020 - (2020/2551(RSP))

with request for inclusion in the agenda for a debate on cases of breaches of human rights, democracy and the rule of law
pursuant to Rule 144 of the Rules of Procedure

Kati Piri, Maria Arena
on behalf of the S&D Group

See also joint motion for a resolution RC-B9-0104/2020

B9‑0106/2020

European Parliament resolution on Guinea Conakry, notably violance towards protestors

(2020/2551(RSP))

The European Parliament,

– having regard having regard to its previous resolutions on Guinea;

– having regard to the Joint Statement of the United Nations, the European Union and the Embassies of the United States and France in Guinea of 5 November 2019;

– having regard to the Communiqué of the ECOWAS Commission following the incidents in Conakry of 4 November 2019;

– having regard to the Press Release of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the suppression of demonstrations in Guinea of 9 November 2019;

–  having regard to the upcoming thirty-fifth session of the United Nations Human Rights Council Universal Periodic Review Working Group of 15 January 2020;

– having regard to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights of 1966;

– having regard to the Partnership Agreement between the Members of the African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States of the one part, and the European Community and its Member States, of the other part (the Cotonou Agreement);

– having regard to the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights which was adopted on 27 June 1981 and entered into force on 21 October 1986;

– having regard to the Constitution of Guinea, which was approved by referendum on 19 April 2010 and adopted on 7 May 2010;

– having regard to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights;

– having regard to Rule 144 of its Rules of Procedure.

A. Whereas President Alpha Condé has been in power in Guinea since his election in 2010 and reelection in 2015;

B. whereas his election to the Presidency was hoped to usher in an era of democratic reforms and transparency after years of  military rule and the authoritarian leadership of the late President Lansana Conté; whereas President Condé’s time in office has instead been marred by extensive accusations of corruption and of restrictions on political freedom;

C. whereas constitutional requirements in Guinea restrict presidential mandates to two terms; whereas President Condé’s second term is due to end at the end of 2020;

D. whereas the President has announced plans for a referendum on constitutional reform to take place on 1 March 2020; whereas legislative elections originally scheduled for 16 February have been postponed to take place on the same day; whereas the proposed new Constitution includes an extension of the presidential mandate from five to six years, with a limit on two terms; whereas it is expected that President Condé will use constitutional change to seek a third presidential term;

E. whereas there are highly charged political tensions and outbreaks of violence in the country; whereas Fodé Oussou Fofana, vice-president of the main opposition party Union of Democratic Forces of Guinea, has accused the President of a “constitutional coup d’État” and of “fraud”; whereas opposition parties have pledged to boycott the legislative elections in protest;

F. whereas the National Front for the Defence of the Constitution (FNDC), an alliance of opposition parties, civil society organisation and trade unions, have held protests and plan strikes in opposition to the constitutional change;

G. whereas the government response to the outbreaks of violent protesting has been heavy-handed and the police have reacted with excessive, undue and illegal force against protesters, including reports of barricades, shootings and tear gas, predominantly in the capital Conakry and the northern opposition stronghold Mamou; whereas police in Wanindara allegedly used a woman as a human shield to shelter from stones thrown by protesters;

H. whereas at least 28 civilians and one gendarme have been killed in the protests since mid-October 2019; whereas human rights organisation estimate that at least 70 protesters and bystanders have been killed since 2015, including student Amadou Boukariou Baldé who was beaten to death by police forces during protests at the University of Labé in May 2019;

I. whereas the UN Human Rights Commission has noted that security forces reacting to the protests which began in Conakry on 14 and 15 October 2019 “failed to comply with international norms and standards on the use of force”; whereas the funeral of the protestors killed during these protests was marred by further violence and deaths;

J. whereas the FNDC coordinator Abdourahmane Sanoh was jailed and subsequently released; whereas several civil society leaders and journalists have been arrested and are still under detention;

K. whereas Guinea is one of the poorest countries in Africa, still suffering from years of economic mismanagement, corruption and the Ebola crisis; whereas the country has the world’s largest reserve of bauxite in mines surrounding Boke.

1. Deplores the ongoing violence in Guinea; calls for restraint to be exercised immediately by government forces and for legitimate, peaceful protests to be able to take place free from intimidation;

2. Calls for transparent investigations to be held into the deaths and injuries of protesters, and for those responsible, including those in the police and security forces, to be held to account without impunity;

3. Deeply regrets any plans to change to constitution of the country in relation to presidential term limits; strongly reiterates that a functioning democracy must include respect for the rule of law and constitutional provisions including, where applicable, limits on presidential mandates; calls on the President of Guinea to respect the Guinean constitution, in particular Article 27 thereof;

4. Calls on the Government of Guinea to create a safe environment free from harassment, violence, and intimidation to facilitate dialogue with the opposition;

5. Urges the Government of Guinea to ensure transparent, credible and free legislative and presidential elections to be held in a timely manner, with the full participation of opposition parties, including regarding registration, campaigning, access to media and freedom of assembly;

6. Recalls the importance of an autonomous national electoral commission acting independently of the government and any political party; urges the Government of Guinea and President Condé to ensure the National Independent Electoral Commission (CENI) in Guinea can operate in a fully transparent manner free from control, intimidation or coercion from incumbent politicians or parties;

7. Urges the Guinean authorities to fully respect all domestic and international obligations in relation to civil and political rights, including the right to freedom of speech, assembly and association, the freedom from torture, ill-treatment and arbitrary detention, and the right to a fair trial; emphasises that respect for human rights must be at the heart of any political solution to the crisis; 

8. Recalls that a vibrant civil society able to operate without fear, intimidation and violence is a necessary prerequisite to consolidating democracy; urges the Government and security forces to ensure an environment conducive to the safety and security of non-governmental organisation and civil society representatives, including a revision of the legislation on the use of force in public assemblies;

9. Strongly criticises the imprisonment of Abdourahmane Sanoh and other opposition and civil society leaders; calls for the immediate release of political prisoners in the country, and an investigation into the widespread allegations of mistreatment of prisoners;

10. Emphasises the importance of a free press and media; urges the Guinean authorities immediately cease all harassment and intimidation of journalists, including an end to the arbitrary suspension of media licences;

11. Recalls the importance for Guinea to work with regional partners to collectively strengthen democracy, development and security; urges authorities in Guinea to work closely with regional organisations including ECOWAS to restore basic freedoms, fully investigate human rights abuses committed during the demonstrations, and bring about a peaceful democratic transition;

12. Urges the Guinean authorities to engage meaningfully in the upcoming United Nations Human Rights Council Universal Periodic Review, including providing full access to the UN on the ground, and to fully implement the subsequent recommendations of the Working Group;

13. Calls on the Vice-President of the European Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, and the European External Action Service to maintain political dialogue, including that held under the framework of Article 8 of the Cotonou Agreement, with a view to rapidly reducing tensions in the country and assisting, where requested, in the preparations for peaceful elections including mediation and measures to combat pre- and post-electoral violence; further calls on the HR/VP and EEAS to work with the Guinean authorities, ECOWAS, the UN Human Rights Office in Guinea, the African Commission on Human and People’s Rights, and the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for West Africa and the Sahel to shape a common strategy to resolve the current political crisis;

14. Calls on the Delegation of the European Union to Guinea to continuously monitor the situation of Guinea’s independent civil society, observe the trials of political prisoners, and continue addressing the human rights situation in the country in its dialogue with the Guinean authorities; 

15. Welcomes the focus of the EU 11th EDF on supporting the rule of law in Guinea; urges the European Commission and EEAS to maintain support for strengthening civil society and independent state institutions;

16. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, and the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, the President and Parliament of the Republic of Guinea, the institutions of ECOWAS, and the African Union and its institutions.