UN Secretary-General condemns Guinea-Bissau coup following national elections

UN Secretary-Normal António Guterres condemned on Friday the army coup in Guinea-Bissau that passed off simply days after nationwide elections, saying that it gravely violates constitutional order and democratic rules.

Guterres urged all events to respect the rule of regulation by instantly and unconditionally restoring constitutional order and releasing all detained officers, together with political figures and opposition leaders. He additional emphasised that “disputes should be resolved via peaceable and inclusive dialogue and authorized avenues.”

UN Excessive Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk additionally echoed Guterres’ assertion, expressing considerations over reported rights violations, together with restrictions on unbiased radio stations and web entry, and using pressure towards peaceable protesters. He particularly famous studies of arbitrary arrests and extreme use of pressure by the army, with no less than 18 folks detained. Most of those individuals are mentioned to be held incommunicado.

African Union Fee chair Mahmoud Ali Youssouf equally condemned the army coup, reiterating the AU’s “zero tolerance” for unconstitutional adjustments of presidency. He additionally emphasised that the Nationwide Electoral Fee has the only authorized authority to proclaim election outcomes. Likewise, the Financial Neighborhood of West African States (ECOWAS) denounced the coup and suspended Guinea-Bissau from the group’s decision-making our bodies till there’s a full restoration of constitutional order.

The newest presidential election, pitting incumbent Umaro Sissoco Embaló towards his major rival Fernando Dias, passed off on November 23. Three days later, each Umaro and Fernando declared victory earlier than the discharge of official outcomes.

The army then introduced on November 26 that they’d taken “complete management” of the nation, only a day earlier than the Nationwide Elections Fee was scheduled to launch the official outcomes. The army mentioned it intervened to cease electoral manipulation, with out citing the supply of the suspicions.

Umaro was reportedly arrested at his presidential workplace forward of the army announcement. On November 27, Main-Normal Horta Nta Na Man was sworn in as transitional president for a one-year time period after the army formally eliminated Umaro from his place. The ousted Umaro later arrived in Senegal, with Senegalese Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko calling the army coup a “sham”.

The newest army takeover in Guinea-Bissau displays an extended sample of instability for the reason that nation gained independence from Portugal in 1974. It follows earlier coups that passed off or have been tried in 2012, 2022 and 2023.

Guinea-Bissau additionally ranks first amongst African international locations within the cocaine commerce. Consultants have argued that “the deep-rooted involvement of Guinea-Bissau’s political-military elite on this illicit market has been a important issue driving Guinea-Bissau’s repeated cycles of political turmoil.” In his first inaugural speech, transitional President Horta justified the army takeover as vital to save lots of Guinean democracy from “narcotraffickers.”

Notably, below Article 4(1) of the Worldwide Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, a coup d’état could also be thought to be “an emergency that threatens the lifetime of a nation.”