The African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (the Commission), meeting at its 14th Extraordinary Session held from 20 to 24 July 2013 in Nairobi, Kenya:
Recalling its mandate to promote and protect human and peoples’ rights in Africa in accordance with the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (the African Charter);
Further recalling the obligations of the Republic of Guinea under the African Charter and other regional and international human rights instruments ratified by Guinea;
Bearing in mind the presidential decree of 10 July 2013 which set the date for the presidential election for 24 September 2013, in accordance with the proposal of the National Independent Electoral Commission;
Noting the comprehensive political agreement aimed at ending the crisis in Guinea of 3 July 2013 and the commitment demonstrated by political parties towards fair and democratic elections by the signing, on 5 July 2013, of a code of good conduct for the legislative elections;
Concerned by the degrading security situation and the several cases of human rights violations related to the legislative elections, a situation which may jeopardise the country’s development and stability;
Deeply concerned by the violent inter-ethnic clashes that occurred recently between members of the Konianké and Guerzé communities in the N’Nzérékoré and Beyla districts following the murder of a Konianké youth by Guerzé youths;
Particularly concerned by the several cases of death, high number of seriously injured people, and massive destruction of public and private property and buildings, including places of worship, as a result of these clashes;
Strongly condemns the acts of violence, killing and destruction of public and private property carried out in the N’Nzérékoré and Beyla districts in the Republic of Guinea;
Urges the parties to the conflict to put an immediate end to violence and to refrain from any act that may undermine public order and the peaceful coexistence of communities;
Urges the Government of Guinea to take the necessary measures to put an end to impunity and to ensure that the perpetrators and accomplices of these acts of violence are brought to justice;
Calls on the Government of Guinea to restore peace and national unity in the affected communities and to guarantee the right to life and human dignity of all citizens in accordance with Article 4 of the African Charter;
Reminds the people of Guinea of the need to preserve the achievements of peaceful cohabitation among the various communities;
Calls on the Guinean authorities to take the necessary measures to ensure the organisation of credible, free, transparent and peaceful elections and to ensure the necessary conditions for Guinean citizens to exercise their political right to vote and elect the leaders of their choice;
Urges all the parties to respect and effectively implement the comprehensive political agreement aimed at ending the crisis in Guinea and the code of good conduct for the legislative elections;
Calls on the African Union and the international community to closely monitor political developments in Guinea and to support the efforts of the Government and other political stakeholders towards a smooth conduct of the polls;
Further calls on all political stakeholders to engage in constructive dialogue, to exercise restraint, and to respect the results of the polls towards restoring lasting peace and security in the Republic of Guinea.
Nairobi, Kenya, 24 July 2013
