The Sierra Leone Advocacy Movement (SLAM-GLOBAL) has raised alarm over the worsening human rights situation in Sierra Leone, urging Amnesty International to take immediate action. In an urgent letter dated December 2024, SLAM-GLOBAL detailed a disturbing pattern of state-sponsored violence, suppression of dissent, and lack of accountability under President Julius Maada Bio’s government.
The organization referenced Amnesty International’s March 2023 report, which highlighted the violent suppression of protests in August 2022. During these protests, Sierra Leone’s security forces used excessive force, resulting in over 30 deaths, including women and children. Despite calls for independent investigations, the government’s Special Committee has yet to disclose its findings, signaling a lack of political will to address past abuses.
SLAM-GLOBAL’s letter points to recent incidents that indicate the continuation of state repression. On December 4, 2024, two prominent activists, Thomas Babadi and Maddie Williams, were arrested for organizing a peaceful protest demanding transparency in the June 2023 election results. The arrests echo the tactics used during the 2022 protests, including arbitrary detention and suppression of freedom of expression.
The group also highlighted the killings of Captain Aiah Aba Senesie and Captain Tamba Lansana Conteh as examples of ongoing violence against dissenting voices. Additionally, the assassination of vocal government critic Hassan Conteh, popularly known as “Evangelist Samson,” underscores the deteriorating human rights environment. SLAM-GLOBAL alleged that ethnic and regional biases in military dismissals further threaten national unity.
SLAM-GLOBAL emphasized violations of constitutional rights, including Sections 25 and 26, which guarantee freedom of expression and peaceful assembly. The letter called for Amnesty International to renew its recommendations for independent investigations into the 2022 killings, which remain unaddressed, and to document the recent abuses, including extrajudicial killings and the suppression of protests.
The group also demanded the publication of the findings from the Special Committee on the 2022 protests and the release of disaggregated results from the 2023 elections to promote transparency. SLAM-GLOBAL urged Amnesty International to engage regional and international bodies, such as ECOWAS, the African Union, and the United Nations, to impose sanctions on individuals responsible for these violations.
SLAM-GLOBAL concluded by warning that the ongoing cycle of violence and impunity threatens democracy, human rights, and regional stability. The organization reaffirmed its commitment to supporting Amnesty International’s efforts by providing detailed accounts of abuses and connecting the organization with victims and their families.
The letter serves as a wake-up call to the international community to address Sierra Leone’s deepening human rights crisis.
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