2024-09-21 03:39:26
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The French lawyers of Oumar Sylla, better known as Foniké Menguè, and Mamadou Billo Bah, have expressed their concerns about the situation of their clients.
William Bourson and Vincent Brengarth, through a letter addressed to the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), castigated the silence of the sub-regional institution in the disappearance of the two members of the dissolved National Front for the Defense of the Constitution (FNDC).
In the letter, the two lawyers invite ECOWAS to get involved in the case of their clients who have been arrested for several weeks.
« If we are writing to you today, it is to express our shock at the lack of a strong reaction from ECOWAS following the disappearance of two members of the FNDC, GentlemenFoniké MENGUE and Billo BAH, on July 9th. We do not understand this silence. It challenges us in the highest degree. It is essential that such a reaction takes place. “, the letter states. of both councils.
For them, theand rôle of ECOWAS ” is central to putting pressure on the Guinean authorities in order to put an end to this situation which flouts the most basic rights. It is also a question of the credibility attached to your institution, the importance of which we know, and of what it represents for the civilian populations. We know that this influence has already been tarnished by the recent departure of Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso. This affair therefore offers an opportunity to demonstrate the persistence of ECOWAS’s commitments in supporting the populations of member countries. No one can pretend any longer that the Guinean authorities have no real will to investigate the disappearance of the activists, precisely because of all the evidence that heavily incriminates them. It is the responsibility of ECOWAS, which plays a decisive mediation role, to act with the junta. It is also clear that no credible prospect of democratic transition can exist in light of the totally degraded situation in Guinea. The disappearance of the two activists is symptomatic of the attacks on the civil party to intimidate any opposition force. It is impossible to remain a witness to the strategy of prolonging this situation indefinitely, in the hope that supporters will demobilize. It is a known strategy. It is eroded. Your responsibility is also to prevent the disappearance of the two activists from being forgotten, given the methods implemented by the authorities to bury this affair. ».
William Bourdon et Vincent Brengarth request the involvement of the sub-regional institution for the release of the two FNDC activists and sanctions against the transitional authorities.
« We request that Messrs. Foniké MENGUE and Mamadou BILLO BAH, political prisoners, be released as a matter of urgency. We solemnly ask you to work towards this end. We ask you to intervene so that investigations can take place but also so that sanctions can be taken without delay. », underlines the lawyers’ letter.
Mamadou Ba