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:Human rights in Guinea

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{{Politics of Guinea}}

Human rights in Guinea, a nation of approximately 10,069,000 people in West Africa,{{cite journal | url=https://www.un.org/esa/population/publications/wpp2008/wpp2008_text_tables.pdf | title=World Population Prospects, Table A.1| version=2008 revision | publisher=United Nations | author=Department of Economic and Social Affairs Population Division | year=2009 | access-date= 2009-03-12}} are a contentious issue. In its 2012 Freedom in the World report, Freedom House named Guinea "partly free" for the second year in a row, an improvement over its former status as one of the least free countries in Africa.{{cite web | url = http://www.freedomhouse.org/report/freedom-world/2012/guinea | title = Freedom in the World 2012: Guinea | access-date = 2012-08-27 | author = Freedom House | author-link = Freedom House | year = 2012 | publisher = Freedom House | archive-date = 2018-11-16 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20181116155042/https://freedomhouse.org/report/freedom-world/2012/guinea | url-status = dead }}

The United States Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor, which produces annual human rights reports on the country, claims the most pressing human rights issues are the use of torture by security forces, and abuse of women and children through such acts as female genital mutilation.{{cite web | url = https://2009-2017.state.gov/j/drl/rls/hrrpt/humanrightsreport/index.htm?dlid=186203 | title = Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2011: Guinea | access-date = 2012-08-27 | author = Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor | author-link = Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor | year = 2012 | publisher = United States Department of State}}

Historical and political situation

{{See also|History of Guinea|Politics of Guinea}}

Guinea gained its independence from France in 1958. Alpha Condé won the 2010 presidential election and in December 2010 become the country's first democratically elected president.

The following chart shows Guinea's ratings since 1972 in the Freedom in the World reports, published annually by Freedom House. A rating of 1 is "free"; 7, "not free".{{cite web | url = https://freedomhouse.org/sites/default/files/2024-02/Country_and_Territory_Ratings_and_Statuses_FIW_1973-2024.xlsx | title = Country and Territory Ratings and Statuses, FIW 1973-2024 | access-date = 21 December 2024 | author = Freedom House | author-link = Freedom House | year = 2024 | format = XLS}}{{ref|a|1}}

class="wikitable collapsible collapsed" style="border:none; "

!Historical ratings

style="padding:0; border:none;"|

{| class="wikitable sortable" width=100% style="border-collapse:collapse;"

style="background:#eee; font-weight:bold; text-align:center;"

| style="width:3em; text-align:left;" | Year

| style="width:3em;" |Political Rights

| style="width:3em;" |Civil Liberties

| style="width:3em;" |Status

| style="width:3em;" |Head of State{{ref|b|2}}

align=center

| align=left | 1972

| style="background:#99f;" |7

| style="background:#99f;" |7

| style="background:#99f;" |Not Free

| style="background:#99f;" |Ahmed Sékou Touré

align=center

| align=left | 1973

| style="background:#99f;" |7

| style="background:#99f;" |7

| style="background:#99f;" |Not Free

| style="background:#99f;" |Ahmed Sékou Touré

align=center

| align=left | 1974

| style="background:#99f;" |7

| style="background:#99f;" |7

| style="background:#99f;" |Not Free

| style="background:#99f;" |Ahmed Sékou Touré

align=center

| align=left | 1975

| style="background:#99f;" |7

| style="background:#99f;" |7

| style="background:#99f;" |Not Free

| style="background:#99f;" |Ahmed Sékou Touré

align=center

| align=left | 1976

| style="background:#99f;" |7

| style="background:#99f;" |7

| style="background:#99f;" |Not Free

| style="background:#99f;" |Ahmed Sékou Touré

align=center

| align=left | 1977

| style="background:#99f;" |7

| style="background:#99f;" |7

| style="background:#99f;" |Not Free

| style="background:#99f;" |Ahmed Sékou Touré

align=center

| align=left | 1978

| style="background:#99f;" |7

| style="background:#99f;" |7

| style="background:#99f;" |Not Free

| style="background:#99f;" |Ahmed Sékou Touré

align=center

| align=left | 1979

| style="background:#99f;" |7

| style="background:#99f;" |7

| style="background:#99f;" |Not Free

| style="background:#99f;" |Ahmed Sékou Touré

align=center

| align=left | 1980

| style="background:#99f;" |7

| style="background:#99f;" |7

| style="background:#99f;" |Not Free

| style="background:#99f;" |Ahmed Sékou Touré

align=center

| align=left | 1981

| style="background:#99f;" |7

| style="background:#99f;" |7

| style="background:#99f;" |Not Free

| style="background:#99f;" |Ahmed Sékou Touré

align=center

| align=left | 1982{{ref|c|3}}

| style="background:#99f;" |7

| style="background:#99f;" |7

| style="background:#99f;" |Not Free

| style="background:#99f;" |Ahmed Sékou Touré

align=center

| align=left | 1983

| style="background:#99f;" |7

| style="background:#99f;" |7

| style="background:#99f;" |Not Free

| style="background:#99f;" |Ahmed Sékou Touré

align=center

| align=left | 1984

| style="background:#99f;" |7

| style="background:#99f;" |5

| style="background:#99f;" |Not Free

| style="background:#99f;" |Ahmed Sékou Touré

align=center

| align=left | 1985

| style="background:#99f;" |7

| style="background:#99f;" |5

| style="background:#99f;" |Not Free

| style="background:#99f;" |Lansana Conté

align=center

| align=left | 1986

| style="background:#99f;" |7

| style="background:#99f;" |5

| style="background:#99f;" |Not Free

| style="background:#99f;" |Lansana Conté

align=center

| align=left | 1987

| style="background:#99f;" |7

| style="background:#99f;" |6

| style="background:#99f;" |Not Free

| style="background:#99f;" |Lansana Conté

align=center

| align=left | 1988

| style="background:#99f;" |7

| style="background:#99f;" |6

| style="background:#99f;" |Not Free

| style="background:#99f;" |Lansana Conté

align=center

| align=left | 1989

| style="background:#99f;" |7

| style="background:#99f;" |6

| style="background:#99f;" |Not Free

| style="background:#99f;" |Lansana Conté

align=center

| align=left | 1990

| style="background:#99f;" |6

| style="background:#99f;" |5

| style="background:#99f;" |Not Free

| style="background:#99f;" |Lansana Conté

align=center

| align=left | 1991

| style="background:#99f;" |6

| style="background:#99f;" |5

| style="background:#99f;" |Not Free

| style="background:#99f;" |Lansana Conté

align=center

| align=left | 1992

| style="background:#ff9;" |6

| style="background:#ff9;" |5

| style="background:#ff9;" |Partly Free

| style="background:#ff9;" |Lansana Conté

align=center

| align=left | 1993

| style="background:#99f;" |6

| style="background:#99f;" |5

| style="background:#99f;" |Not Free

| style="background:#99f;" |Lansana Conté

align=center

| align=left | 1994

| style="background:#99f;" |6

| style="background:#99f;" |5

| style="background:#99f;" |Not Free

| style="background:#99f;" |Lansana Conté

align=center

| align=left | 1995

| style="background:#99f;" |6

| style="background:#99f;" |5

| style="background:#99f;" |Not Free

| style="background:#99f;" |Lansana Conté

align=center

| align=left | 1996

| style="background:#99f;" |6

| style="background:#99f;" |5

| style="background:#99f;" |Not Free

| style="background:#99f;" |Lansana Conté

align=center

| align=left | 1997

| style="background:#99f;" |6

| style="background:#99f;" |5

| style="background:#99f;" |Not Free

| style="background:#99f;" |Lansana Conté

align=center

| align=left | 1998

| style="background:#99f;" |6

| style="background:#99f;" |5

| style="background:#99f;" |Not Free

| style="background:#99f;" |Lansana Conté

align=center

| align=left | 1999

| style="background:#99f;" |6

| style="background:#99f;" |5

| style="background:#99f;" |Not Free

| style="background:#99f;" |Lansana Conté

align=center

| align=left | 2000

| style="background:#99f;" |6

| style="background:#99f;" |5

| style="background:#99f;" |Not Free

| style="background:#99f;" |Lansana Conté

align=center

| align=left | 2001

| style="background:#99f;" |6

| style="background:#99f;" |5

| style="background:#99f;" |Not Free

| style="background:#99f;" |Lansana Conté

align=center

| align=left | 2002

| style="background:#99f;" |6

| style="background:#99f;" |5

| style="background:#99f;" |Not Free

| style="background:#99f;" |Lansana Conté

align=center

| align=left | 2003

| style="background:#99f;" |6

| style="background:#99f;" |5

| style="background:#99f;" |Not Free

| style="background:#99f;" |Lansana Conté

align=center

| align=left | 2004

| style="background:#99f;" |6

| style="background:#99f;" |5

| style="background:#99f;" |Not Free

| style="background:#99f;" |Lansana Conté

align=center

| align=left | 2005

| style="background:#99f;" |6

| style="background:#99f;" |5

| style="background:#99f;" |Not Free

| style="background:#99f;" |Lansana Conté

align=center

| align=left | 2006

| style="background:#99f;" |6

| style="background:#99f;" |5

| style="background:#99f;" |Not Free

| style="background:#99f;" |Lansana Conté

align=center

| align=left | 2007

| style="background:#99f;" |6

| style="background:#99f;" |5

| style="background:#99f;" |Not Free

| style="background:#99f;" |Lansana Conté

align=center

| align=left | 2008

| style="background:#99f;" |7

| style="background:#99f;" |5

| style="background:#99f;" |Not Free

| style="background:#99f;" |Moussa Dadis Camara

align=center

| align=left | 2009

| style="background:#99f;" |7

| style="background:#99f;" |6

| style="background:#99f;" |Not Free

| style="background:#99f;" |Sékouba Konaté

align=center

| align=left | 2010

| style="background:#ff9;" |5

| style="background:#ff9;" |5

| style="background:#ff9;" |Partly Free

| style="background:#ff9;" |Alpha Conde

align=center

| align=left | 2011

| style="background:#ff9;" |5

| style="background:#ff9;" |5

| style="background:#ff9;" |Partly Free

| style="background:#ff9;" |Alpha Condé

align=center

| align=left | 2012

| style="background:#ff9;" |5

| style="background:#ff9;" |5

| style="background:#ff9;" |Partly Free

| style="background:#ff9;" |Alpha Condé

align=center

| align=left | 2013

| style="background:#ff9;" |5

| style="background:#ff9;" |5

| style="background:#ff9;" |Partly Free

| style="background:#ff9;" |Alpha Condé

align=center

| align=left | 2014

| style="background:#ff9;" |5

| style="background:#ff9;" |5

| style="background:#ff9;" |Partly Free

| style="background:#ff9;" |Alpha Condé

align=center

| align=left | 2015

| style="background:#ff9;" |5

| style="background:#ff9;" |5

| style="background:#ff9;" |Partly Free

| style="background:#ff9;" |Alpha Condé

align=center

| align=left | 2016

| style="background:#ff9;" |5

| style="background:#ff9;" |5

| style="background:#ff9;" |Partly Free

| style="background:#ff9;" |Alpha Condé

align=center

| align=left | 2017

| style="background:#ff9;" |5

| style="background:#ff9;" |5

| style="background:#ff9;" |Partly Free

| style="background:#ff9;" |Alpha Condé

align=center

| align=left | 2018

| style="background:#ff9;" |5

| style="background:#ff9;" |4

| style="background:#ff9;" |Partly Free

| style="background:#ff9;" |Alpha Condé

align=center

| align=left | 2019

| style="background:#ff9;" |5

| style="background:#ff9;" |5

| style="background:#ff9;" |Partly Free

| style="background:#ff9;" |Alpha Condé

align=center

| align=left | 2020

| style="background:#ff9;" |5

| style="background:#ff9;" |5

| style="background:#ff9;" |Partly Free

| style="background:#ff9;" |Alpha Condé

align=center

| align=left | 2021

| style="background:#99f;" |6

| style="background:#99f;" |5

| style="background:#99f;" |Not Free

| style="background:#99f;" |Mamady Doumbouya

align=center

| align=left | 2022

| style="background:#99f;" |6

| style="background:#99f;" |5

| style="background:#99f;" |Not Free

| style="background:#99f;" |Mamady Doumbouya

align=center

| align=left | 2023

| style="background:#99f;" |6

| style="background:#99f;" |5

| style="background:#99f;" |Not Free

| style="background:#99f;" |Mamady Doumbouya

|}

=Sekou Touré regime (1954–1984)=

Amnesty International was claiming Guinea contained prisoners of conscience as early as their 1969 report.{{cite book | last1 = Amnesty International | title = Amnesty International Report 1969 | chapter = French-speaking Africa | publisher = Amnesty International Publications | year = 1969 | location = London | pages = 8 | url = https://www.amnesty.org/en/documents/pol10/001/1969/en/ | access-date = 2012-08-24| author1-link = Amnesty International }} In 1968 over one hundred people were arrested, and 13 sentenced to the death penalty, for their roles in an alleged plot against the government. Included in those arrested were cabinet ministers and high-level military officers. After the 1970 Portuguese invasion of the capital, the government stepped up its campaign against political opposition and by the end of the year at least 85 people had reportedly been sentenced to death. Thousands had been arrested, including 22 Europeans, Germans, French, and Italians among them.{{cite book | last1 = Amnesty International | title = Amnesty International Report 1971 | chapter = Africa | publisher = Amnesty International Publications | year = 1971 | location = London | pages = 35 | url = https://www.amnesty.org/en/documents/pol10/001/1971/en/ | access-date = 2012-08-24| author1-link = Amnesty International }}{{cite book | last1 = Amnesty International | title = Amnesty International Report 1972 | chapter = Africa | publisher = Amnesty International Publications | year = 1972 | location = London | pages = 23 | url = https://www.amnesty.org/en/documents/pol10/001/1972/en/ | access-date = 2012-08-24| author1-link = Amnesty International }}{{cite book | last1 = Amnesty International | title = Amnesty International Report 1974 | chapter = Guinea | publisher = Amnesty International Publications | year = 1974 | location = London | pages = 28 | url = https://www.amnesty.org/en/documents/pol10/001/1974/en/ | access-date = 2012-08-24| author1-link = Amnesty International }}

In December 1970 the Archbishop of Conakry, Raymond-Marie Tchidimbo, was sentenced to hard labour for refusing to read government documents from the pulpit calling on Christians to support the government against foreign imperialism. He and at least a thousand other political prisoners remained detained in 1977.{{cite book | last1 = Amnesty International | title = Amnesty International Report 1977 | chapter = Guinea (Republic of) | publisher = Amnesty International Publications | year = 1977 | location = London | pages = 74–76 | url = https://www.amnesty.org/en/documents/pol10/006/1977/en/ | access-date = 2012-08-24| author1-link = Amnesty International }} A report published in June 1977 by the International League for Human Rights estimated the number of political prisoners at over 3000, alleging prisoners were subject to starvation, torture, murder, and arbitrary execution. The most notorious prison was Camp Boiro, which included amongst its prisoners Diallo Telli.

Image:Bundesarchiv B 145 Bild-F012905-0012, Bonn, Schule, Staatssekretärin aus Guinea.jpg, a former cabinet minister who was shot on 25 January 1971.]]

After severe criticism of its human rights situation, and the withholding of aid by the United States under the Food for Peace Act, the government attempted a rapprochement strategy with its neighbours and the West, and claimed to be improving its internal situation.{{cite book | last1 = Amnesty International | title = Amnesty International Report 1978 | chapter = Guinea (Republic of) | publisher = Amnesty International Publications | year = 1978 | location = London | pages = 53–56 | url = https://www.amnesty.org/en/documents/pol10/001/1978/en/ | access-date = 2012-08-24| author1-link = Amnesty International }} In August and October 1977, however, the government fired upon a series of economic protests and killed an unknown number of women. They then began to round up those thought responsible. By 1978 reports were estimating the number of political prisoners had grown to 4000.

In late 1978 President Sékou Touré proclaimed to journalists that all prisoners who had been sentenced to execution at Boiro were now dead. He went on to explain that Amnesty International was "trash".{{cite book | last1 = Amnesty International | title = Amnesty International Report 1979 | chapter = Guinea (the Revolutionary People's Republic of) | publisher = Amnesty International Publications | year = 1979 | location = London | pages = 21–22 | url = https://www.amnesty.org/en/documents/pol10/001/1979/en/ | access-date = 2012-08-24| author1-link = Amnesty International }} By 1979 reports were claiming fewer than 20 of the original arrestees were still being held at Boiro. Hundreds who had been arrested never reappeared, however, and some sources put the number dead at over 4000. Arrests continued, however.{{cite book | last1 = Amnesty International | title = Amnesty International Report 1980 | chapter = Guinea | publisher = Amnesty International Publications | year = 1980 | location = London | pages = 51–52 | url = https://www.amnesty.org/en/documents/pol10/003/1980/en/ | access-date = 2012-08-24 | author1-link = Amnesty International | archive-date = 2011-06-26 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110626161050/http://www.amnesty.org/en/library/asset/POL10/003/1980/en/4eaa8da9-d3b3-46f4-b429-8cf536834e07/POL100031980eng.pdf | url-status = dead }}

A May 1980 grenade attack on the Palais du Peuple and a February 1981 bomb explosion at Conakry Airport precipitated two more waves of politically motivated arrests, with hundreds detained and reports of death.{{cite book | last1 = Amnesty International | title = Amnesty International Report 1981 | chapter = Guinea | publisher = Amnesty International Publications | year = 1981 | location = London | pages = 46–48 | url = https://www.amnesty.org/en/documents/pol10/001/1981/en/ | access-date = 2012-08-24 | author1-link = Amnesty International | archive-date = 2014-08-20 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140820003800/http://www.amnesty.org/en/library/asset/POL10/001/1981/en/5e4bdcf6-0f75-4ec4-be19-ea619d7a229b/POL100011981eng.pdf | url-status = dead }} People continued to be killed at Boiro through what was known as the "black diet" – a complete lack of food and water.{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1984/04/12/world/in-post-coup-guinea-a-jail-is-thrown-open.html|title=In Post-Coup Guinea, a Jail Is Thrown Open|last1=May|first1=Clifford D.|date=1984-04-12|work=The New York Times|access-date=2019-02-05|last2=Times|first2=Special To the New York|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331}}{{Cite book|title=Historical Dictionary of Guinea|last=O'Toole|first=Thomas|publisher=Scarecrow Press|year=2005|isbn=0810846349|pages=37}} The Guinean government also reached agreements with the governments of Liberia and Côte d'Ivoire to forcibly repatriate expatriates involved in opposition activity. Reports of detainment and beatings upon their arrival leaked to the outside world.{{cite book | last1 = Amnesty International | title = Amnesty International Report 1982 | chapter = Guinea | publisher = Amnesty International Publications | year = 1982 | location = London | pages = 42–44 | url = https://www.amnesty.org/en/documents/pol10/004/1982/en/ | access-date = 2012-08-24 | author1-link = Amnesty International | archive-date = 2019-02-06 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20190206150818/https://www.amnesty.org/en/page-not-found/ | url-status = dead }}

In September 1982, Touré held a news conference proudly proclaiming that there were no more political prisoners being held in the country. He could not explain the fate of approximately 2900 people arrested since 1969 who remained unaccounted for.{{cite book | last1 = Amnesty International | title = Amnesty International Report 1983 | chapter = Guinea | publisher = Amnesty International Publications | year = 1983 | location = London | pages = 43–45 | url = https://www.amnesty.org/en/documents/pol10/001/1983/en/ | access-date = 2012-08-24 | author1-link = Amnesty International | archive-date = 2013-07-06 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20130706134711/http://www.amnesty.org/en/library/asset/POL10/001/1983/en/afc443f1-e652-4a0d-b54a-45b0effb2d57/POL100011983eng.pdf | url-status = dead }} Reports of the number of prisoners at Boiro continued to range from several hundred to thousands. Torture methods reportedly used at the prison included bondage, forced burning with cigarettes, and electric shocks applied to the head and genitals.{{cite book | last1 = Amnesty International | title = Amnesty International Report 1984 | chapter = Guinea | publisher = Amnesty International Publications | year = 1984 | location = London | pages = 53–56 | url = https://www.amnesty.org/en/documents/pol10/004/1984/en/ | access-date = 2012-08-24 | author1-link = Amnesty International | archive-date = 2014-06-14 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140614212933/http://www.amnesty.org/en/library/asset/POL10/004/1984/en/d8ab7b63-6329-4e35-ad41-647ccaeafcee/POL100041984eng.pdf | url-status = dead }} After Touré's death in March 1984, major political changes were afoot.{{cite book | last1 = Amnesty International | title = Amnesty International Report 1985 | chapter = Guinea | publisher = Amnesty International Publications | year = 1985 | location = London | pages = 50–53 | url = https://www.amnesty.org/en/documents/pol10/002/1985/en/ | access-date = 2012-08-24| author1-link = Amnesty International }}

=Lansana Conté regime (1984–2008)=

On 3 April 1984 the military took control of the country, suspended the constitution, dissolved the ruling Parti Démocratique de Guinée, and launched the Military Committee for National Redress to run the nation under Lansana Conté. In their first public statement the new rulers claimed they would treat human rights as a priority and named those who had "lost their lives simply because they wanted to express their opinions on the country's future" as martyrs. Camp Boiro was closed and all political prisoners immediately released. Following the death of a criminal suspect in police custody in September 1984, protests erupted in Kamsar and 200 people were arrested.

A coup d'état was announced six hours following Conté's death on 22 December 2008.[https://web.archive.org/web/20081226135521/http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jaQPxwTr7Ls-HVfZkk2xle0dPUhQD9589THO0 "Military-led group announces coup in Guinea"], Associated Press, 23 December 2008. On 27 September 2009, the day before planned demonstrations Conakry, the government declared demonstrations illegal. Thousands of protestors defied the ban, assembling in a soccer stadium. 157 were left dead after the level of violence used by security forces escalated.[https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/guinea-military-kills-157-in-protest-crackdown-rights-group-1.813248 Guinea military kills 157 in protest crackdown: rights group], CBC News

Human Rights organizations demanded justice for the killing of more than 150 peaceful demonstrators by Guinean security forces on September 28, 2009, in a stadium. The domestic investigation begun in February 2010 and concluded in 2017, where 13 suspects were charged and 11 were sent for trial. However, some of the suspects continued being in an influential position. The trial was last scheduled for July, but no progress was made in the case. Association of Victims, Relatives and Friends of September 28, 2009 (AVIPA), Equal Rights for All (MDT), the Guinean Human Rights Organization (OGDH), the International Federation for Human Rights, Amnesty International, and Human Rights Watch have made the call of justice.{{cite web|url=https://www.hrw.org/news/2020/09/28/guinea-stadium-massacre-victims-await-justice|title=Guinea: Stadium Massacre Victims Await Justice|access-date=28 September 2020|website=Human Rights Watch|date=28 September 2020 }}

Current issues (2010–present)

Image:Alpha Conde - World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2012.jpg's assertion that the death penalty does not exist in Guinea, sixteen people were given that sentence in 2011.]]

=Legal system=

Sixteen people were sentenced to death in 2011, which is apparently at odds with President Condé's assertion that Guinea is abolitionist.{{cite web | url = https://www.amnesty.org/en/region/guinea/report-2012 | title = Annual Report 2012: Guinea | access-date = 2012-08-27 | author = Amnesty International | author-link = Amnesty International | year = 2012 | publisher = Amnesty International | archive-date = 2014-12-29 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20141229045655/http://www.amnesty.org/en/region/guinea/report-2012 | url-status = dead }}

==Arbitrary arrest and torture==

While the constitution prohibits arbitrary arrest and detention, its practice is quite common. Prisoners are beaten and raped by police. Action by Christians for the Abolition of Torture alleges that four youths accused of stealing were tortured by police in 2011. Abuses at the Kassa Island military prison in 2009 reportedly included castration. Amnesty has two reports of the use of torture in 2011: in February a man in Mamou was taken to the local police station after setting up roadblocks and beaten while handcuffed. In April a man was arrested in Dixinn and beaten at a local station.

=Minority and women's rights=

{{See also|LGBT rights in Guinea}}

Although 50 people were arrested for rape in 2011, no prosecutions were made. A 2003 study revealed that more than 20% of women at a local hospital were there for sexual violence. The situation is reported to remain unchanged, and more than half of rape victims are girls between 11 and 15 years. Many rapes occur at school.

Human Rights Watch claims that thousands of young girls working as housekeepers are raped by their employers. Dozens of women were openly raped by security forces during the 2007 and 2009 political troubles. Despite being illegal, female genital mutilation is widely practiced by all ethnic groups: a 2005 Demographic and Health Survey reported that 96 percent of women have gone through the operation. Prosecutions of its practitioners are nonexistent.

The country lacks any laws prohibiting discrimination against people with disabilities.

Guinea is ethnically diverse, and people tend to identify strongly with their ethnic group. Racial rhetoric during political campaigns resulted in the deaths of at least two people in 2011.

Although homosexuality is illegal, no one has been charged for at least a decade. Same sex relations are considered a strong taboo, and the prime minister declared in 2010 that he doesn't consider sexual orientation a legitimate human right.

=Freedom of speech=

==Media and censorship==

Media freedom is guaranteed by the constitution. Journalists critical of the government are, however, reportedly harassed and arrested by security forces.

=Freedom of religion=

{{See also|Religion in Guinea}}

Religious rights are generally respected, though it is claimed non-Muslims are discriminated against in the allocation of government employment. Restrictions exist on Muslims' freedom to convert to other religions.

International treaties

Guinea's stances on international human rights treaties are as follows:

class="wikitable collapsible collapsed sortable" width=100% style="border-collapse:collapse;"

!International treaties

style="background:#eee; font-weight:bold; text-align:center;"

| Treaty

| Organization

| Introduced

| Signed

| Ratified

align=center

| style="background:#9f9; align=left" | Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide{{cite web|url=http://treaties.un.org/Pages/ViewDetails.aspx?src=TREATY&mtdsg_no=IV-1&chapter=4&lang=en |title=United Nations Treaty Collection: Chapter IV: Human Rights: 1. Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide. Paris, 9 December 1948 |access-date=2012-08-29 |author=United Nations |author-link=United Nations |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121020233944/http://treaties.un.org/Pages/ViewDetails.aspx?src=TREATY&mtdsg_no=IV-1&chapter=4&lang=en |archive-date=20 October 2012 }}

| style="background:#9f9;" | United Nations

| style="background:#9f9;" |1948

| style="background:#9f9;" |–

| style="background:#9f9;" |2000

align=center

| style="background:#9f9; align=left" | International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination{{cite web|url=http://treaties.un.org/Pages/ViewDetails.aspx?src=TREATY&mtdsg_no=IV-2&chapter=4&lang=en |title=United Nations Treaty Collection: Chapter IV: Human Rights: 2. International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination. New York, 7 March 1966 |access-date=2012-08-29 |author=United Nations |author-link=United Nations |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110211223019/http://treaties.un.org/Pages/ViewDetails.aspx?src=TREATY&mtdsg_no=IV-2&chapter=4&lang=en |archive-date=11 February 2011 }}

| style="background:#9f9;" | United Nations

| style="background:#9f9;" |1966

| style="background:#9f9;" |1966

| style="background:#9f9;" |1977

align=center

| style="background:#9f9; align=left" | International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights{{cite web|url=http://treaties.un.org/Pages/ViewDetails.aspx?src=TREATY&mtdsg_no=IV-3&chapter=4&lang=en |title=United Nations Treaty Collection: Chapter IV: Human Rights: 3. International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. New York, 16 December 1966 |access-date=2012-08-29 |author=United Nations |author-link=United Nations |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120917040858/http://treaties.un.org/Pages/ViewDetails.aspx?src=TREATY&mtdsg_no=IV-3&chapter=4&lang=en |archive-date=17 September 2012 }}

| style="background:#9f9;" | United Nations

| style="background:#9f9;" |1966

| style="background:#9f9;" |1967

| style="background:#9f9;" |1978

align=center

| style="background:#9f9; align=left" | International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights{{cite web|url=http://treaties.un.org/Pages/ViewDetails.aspx?src=TREATY&mtdsg_no=IV-4&chapter=4&lang=en |title=United Nations Treaty Collection: Chapter IV: Human Rights: 4. International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. New York, 16 December 1966 |access-date=2012-08-29 |author=United Nations |author-link=United Nations |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100901184638/http://treaties.un.org/Pages/ViewDetails.aspx?src=TREATY&mtdsg_no=IV-4&chapter=4&lang=en |archive-date=1 September 2010 }}

| style="background:#9f9;" | United Nations

| style="background:#9f9;" |1966

| style="background:#9f9;" |1967

| style="background:#9f9;" |1978

align=center

| style="background:#9f9; align=left" | First Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights{{cite web | url = http://treaties.un.org/Pages/ViewDetails.aspx?src=TREATY&mtdsg_no=IV-5&chapter=4&lang=en | title = United Nations Treaty Collection: Chapter IV: Human Rights: 5. Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. New York, 16 December 1966 | access-date = 2012-08-29 | author = United Nations | author-link = United Nations | archive-date = 2019-03-24 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20190324125027/https://treaties.un.org/Pages/ViewDetails.aspx?src=TREATY&mtdsg_no=IV-5&chapter=4&lang=en | url-status = dead }}

| style="background:#9f9;" | United Nations

| style="background:#9f9;" |1966

| style="background:#9f9;" |1975

| style="background:#9f9;" |1993

align=center

| style="background:#9f9; align=left" | Convention on the Non-Applicability of Statutory Limitations to War Crimes and Crimes Against Humanity{{cite web | url = http://treaties.un.org/Pages/ViewDetails.aspx?src=TREATY&mtdsg_no=IV-6&chapter=4&lang=en | title = United Nations Treaty Collection: Chapter IV: Human Rights: 6. Convention on the non-applicability of statutory limitations to war crimes and crimes against humanity. New York, 26 November 1968 | access-date = 2012-08-29 | author = United Nations | author-link = United Nations | archive-date = 2018-11-16 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20181116072232/https://treaties.un.org/Pages/ViewDetails.aspx?src=TREATY&mtdsg_no=IV-6&chapter=4&lang=en | url-status = dead }}

| style="background:#9f9;" | United Nations

| style="background:#9f9;" |1968

| style="background:#9f9;" |–

| style="background:#9f9;" |1971

align=center

| style="background:#9f9; align=left" | International Convention on the Suppression and Punishment of the Crime of Apartheid{{cite web|url=http://treaties.un.org/Pages/ViewDetails.aspx?src=TREATY&mtdsg_no=IV-7&chapter=4&lang=en |title=United Nations Treaty Collection: Chapter IV: Human Rights: 7. International Convention on the Suppression and Punishment of the Crime of Apartheid. New York, 30 November 1973 |access-date=2012-08-29 |author=United Nations |author-link=United Nations |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120718122932/http://treaties.un.org/Pages/ViewDetails.aspx?src=TREATY&mtdsg_no=IV-7&chapter=4&lang=en |archive-date=18 July 2012 }}

| style="background:#9f9;" | United Nations

| style="background:#9f9;" |1973

| style="background:#9f9;" |1974

| style="background:#9f9;" |1975

align=center

| style="background:#9f9; align=left" | Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women{{cite web|url=http://treaties.un.org/Pages/ViewDetails.aspx?src=TREATY&mtdsg_no=IV-8&chapter=4&lang=en |title=United Nations Treaty Collection: Chapter IV: Human Rights: 8. Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women. New York, 18 December 1979 |access-date=2012-08-29 |author=United Nations |author-link=United Nations |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120823144158/http://treaties.un.org/Pages/ViewDetails.aspx?src=TREATY&mtdsg_no=IV-8&chapter=4&lang=en |archive-date=23 August 2012 }}

| style="background:#9f9;" | United Nations

| style="background:#9f9;" |1979

| style="background:#9f9;" |1980

| style="background:#9f9;" |1982

align=center

| style="background:#9f9; align=left" | Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment{{cite web|url=http://treaties.un.org/Pages/ViewDetails.aspx?src=TREATY&mtdsg_no=IV-9&chapter=4&lang=en |title=United Nations Treaty Collection: Chapter IV: Human Rights: 9. Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment. New York, 10 December 1984 |access-date=2012-08-29 |author=United Nations |author-link=United Nations |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101108052518/http://treaties.un.org/Pages/ViewDetails.aspx?src=TREATY&mtdsg_no=IV-9&chapter=4&lang=en |archive-date=8 November 2010 }}

| style="background:#9f9;" | United Nations

| style="background:#9f9;" |1984

| style="background:#9f9;" |1986

| style="background:#9f9;" |1989

align=center

| style="background:#9f9; align=left" | Convention on the Rights of the Child{{cite web|url=http://treaties.un.org/Pages/ViewDetails.aspx?src=TREATY&mtdsg_no=IV-11&chapter=4&lang=en |title=United Nations Treaty Collection: Chapter IV: Human Rights: 11. Convention on the Rights of the Child. New York, 20 November 1989 |access-date=2012-08-29 |author=United Nations |author-link=United Nations |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140211151110/http://treaties.un.org/Pages/ViewDetails.aspx?src=TREATY&mtdsg_no=IV-11&chapter=4&lang=en |archive-date=11 February 2014 }}

| style="background:#9f9;" | United Nations

| style="background:#9f9;" |1989

| style="background:#9f9;" |–

| style="background:#9f9;" |1990

align=center

| style="background:#99f; align=left" | Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, aiming at the abolition of the death penalty{{cite web|url=http://treaties.un.org/Pages/ViewDetails.aspx?src=TREATY&mtdsg_no=IV-12&chapter=4&lang=en |title=United Nations Treaty Collection: Chapter IV: Human Rights: 12. Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, aiming at the abolition of the death penalty. New York, 15 December 1989 |access-date=2012-08-29 |author=United Nations |author-link=United Nations |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121020234014/http://treaties.un.org/Pages/ViewDetails.aspx?src=TREATY&mtdsg_no=IV-12&chapter=4&lang=en |archive-date=20 October 2012 }}

| style="background:#99f;" | United Nations

| style="background:#99f;" |1989

| style="background:#99f;" |–

| style="background:#99f;" |–

align=center

| style="background:#9f9; align=left" | International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families{{cite web|url=http://treaties.un.org/Pages/ViewDetails.aspx?src=TREATY&mtdsg_no=IV-13&chapter=4&lang=en |title=United Nations Treaty Collection: Chapter IV: Human Rights: 13. International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of their Families. New York, 18 December 1990 |access-date=2012-08-29 |author=United Nations |author-link=United Nations |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120825222904/http://treaties.un.org/Pages/ViewDetails.aspx?src=TREATY&mtdsg_no=IV-13&chapter=4&lang=en |archive-date=25 August 2012 }}

| style="background:#9f9;" | United Nations

| style="background:#9f9;" |1990

| style="background:#9f9;" |–

| style="background:#9f9;" |2000

align=center

| style="background:#99f; align=left" | Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women{{cite web | url = http://treaties.un.org/Pages/ViewDetails.aspx?src=TREATY&mtdsg_no=IV-8-b&chapter=4&lang=en | title = United Nations Treaty Collection: Chapter IV: Human Rights: 8b. Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women. New York, 6 October 1999 | access-date = 2012-08-29 | author = United Nations | author-link = United Nations | archive-date = 2011-05-20 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110520040105/http://treaties.un.org/Pages/ViewDetails.aspx?src=TREATY&mtdsg_no=IV-8-b&chapter=4&lang=en | url-status = dead }}

| style="background:#99f;" | United Nations

| style="background:#99f;" |1999

| style="background:#99f;" |–

| style="background:#99f;" |–

align=center

| style="background:#99f; align=left" | Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the Involvement of Children in Armed Conflict{{cite web | url = http://treaties.un.org/Pages/ViewDetails.aspx?src=TREATY&mtdsg_no=IV-11-b&chapter=4&lang=en | title = United Nations Treaty Collection: Chapter IV: Human Rights: 11b. Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the involvement of children in armed conflict. New York, 25 May 2000 | access-date = 2012-08-29 | author = United Nations | author-link = United Nations | archive-date = 2016-04-25 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160425032942/https://treaties.un.org/Pages/ViewDetails.aspx?src=TREATY&mtdsg_no=IV-11-b&chapter=4&lang=en | url-status = dead }}

| style="background:#99f;" | United Nations

| style="background:#99f;" |2000

| style="background:#99f;" |–

| style="background:#99f;" |–

align=center

| style="background:#9f9; align=left" | Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the Sale of Children, Child Prostitution and Child Pornography{{cite web | url = http://treaties.un.org/Pages/ViewDetails.aspx?src=TREATY&mtdsg_no=IV-11-c&chapter=4&lang=en | title = United Nations Treaty Collection: Chapter IV: Human Rights: 11c. Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography. New York, 25 May 2000 | access-date = 2012-08-29 | author = United Nations | author-link = United Nations | archive-date = 2013-12-13 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20131213004558/http://treaties.un.org/Pages/ViewDetails.aspx?src=TREATY&mtdsg_no=IV-11-c&chapter=4&lang=en | url-status = dead }}

| style="background:#9f9;" | United Nations

| style="background:#9f9;" |2000

| style="background:#9f9;" |–

| style="background:#9f9;" |2011

align=center

| style="background:#9f9; align=left" | Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities{{cite web|url=http://treaties.un.org/Pages/ViewDetails.aspx?src=TREATY&mtdsg_no=IV-15&chapter=4&lang=en |title=United Nations Treaty Collection: Chapter IV: Human Rights: 15. Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. New York, 13 December 2006 |access-date=2012-08-29 |author=United Nations |author-link=United Nations |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120819033725/http://treaties.un.org/Pages/ViewDetails.aspx?src=TREATY&mtdsg_no=IV-15&chapter=4&lang=en |archive-date=19 August 2012 }}

| style="background:#9f9;" | United Nations

| style="background:#9f9;" |2006

| style="background:#9f9;" |2007

| style="background:#9f9;" |2008

align=center

| style="background:#9f9; align=left" | Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities{{cite web|url=http://treaties.un.org/Pages/ViewDetails.aspx?src=TREATY&mtdsg_no=IV-15-a&chapter=4&lang=en |title=United Nations Treaty Collection: Chapter IV: Human Rights: 15a. Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. New York, 13 December 2006 |access-date=2012-08-29 |author=United Nations |author-link=United Nations |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160113202037/https://treaties.un.org/Pages/ViewDetails.aspx?src=TREATY&mtdsg_no=IV-15-a&chapter=4&lang=en |archive-date=13 January 2016 }}

| style="background:#9f9;" | United Nations

| style="background:#9f9;" |2006

| style="background:#9f9;" |2007

| style="background:#9f9;" |2008

align=center

| style="background:#99f; align=left" | International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance{{cite web | url = http://treaties.un.org/Pages/ViewDetails.aspx?src=TREATY&mtdsg_no=IV-16&chapter=4&lang=en | title = United Nations Treaty Collection: Chapter IV: Human Rights: 16. International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance. New York, 20 December 2006 | access-date = 2012-08-29 | author = United Nations | author-link = United Nations | archive-date = 2019-07-17 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20190717085558/https://treaties.un.org/Pages/ViewDetails.aspx?src=TREATY&mtdsg_no=IV-16&chapter=4&lang=en | url-status = dead }}

| style="background:#99f;" | United Nations

| style="background:#99f;" |2006

| style="background:#99f;" |–

| style="background:#99f;" |–

align=center

| style="background:#99f; align=left" | Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights{{cite web | url = http://treaties.un.org/Pages/ViewDetails.aspx?src=TREATY&mtdsg_no=IV-3-a&chapter=4&lang=en | title = United Nations Treaty Collection: Chapter IV: Human Rights: 3a. Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. New York, 10 December 2008 | access-date = 2012-08-29 | author = United Nations | author-link = United Nations | archive-date = 2012-07-18 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120718111116/http://treaties.un.org/Pages/ViewDetails.aspx?src=TREATY&mtdsg_no=IV-3-a&chapter=4&lang=en | url-status = dead }}

| style="background:#99f;" | United Nations

| style="background:#99f;" |2008

| style="background:#99f;" |–

| style="background:#99f;" |–

align=center

| style="background:#99f; align=left" | Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on a Communications Procedure{{cite web|url=http://treaties.un.org/Pages/ViewDetails.aspx?src=TREATY&mtdsg_no=IV-11-d&chapter=4&lang=en |title=United Nations Treaty Collection: Chapter IV: Human Rights: 11d. Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on a communications procedure . New York, 19 December 2011. New York, 10 December 2008 |access-date=2012-08-29 |author=United Nations |author-link=United Nations |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120825214748/http://treaties.un.org/Pages/ViewDetails.aspx?src=TREATY&mtdsg_no=IV-11-d&chapter=4&lang=en |archive-date=25 August 2012 }}

| style="background:#99f;" | United Nations

| style="background:#99f;" |2011

| style="background:#99f;" |–

| style="background:#99f;" |–

See also

{{Portal|Guinea}}

{{-}}

Notes

:1.{{note|a}}Note that the "Year" signifies the "Year covered". Therefore the information for the year marked 2008 is from the report published in 2009, and so on.

:2.{{note|b}}As of 1 January.

:3.{{note|c}}The 1982 report covers the year 1981 and the first half of 1982, and the following 1984 report covers the second half of 1982 and the whole of 1983. In the interest of simplicity, these two aberrant "year and a half" reports have been split into three year-long reports through interpolation.

References

{{Reflist|2}}

External links

;Reports

  • [https://2009-2017.state.gov/j/drl/rls/hrrpt/humanrightsreport/index.htm?dlid=186203 Country Report on Human Rights Practices for 2011] by the United States Department of State
  • [https://www.amnesty.org/en/region/guinea/report-2012 2012 Human rights report] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141229045655/http://www.amnesty.org/en/region/guinea/report-2012 |date=2014-12-29 }} by Amnesty International
  • [http://www.freedomhouse.org/report/freedom-world/2012/guinea Freedom in the World 2012 Report] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181116155042/https://freedomhouse.org/report/freedom-world/2012/guinea |date=2018-11-16 }}, by Freedom House

;International organizations

  • [https://www.amnesty.org/en/region/guinea Guinea] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141221161651/http://www.amnesty.org/en/region/guinea |date=2014-12-21 }} at Amnesty International
  • [https://www.hrw.org/africa/guinea Guinea] at Human Rights Watch
  • [https://web.archive.org/web/20120201165442/http://www.fidh.org/-Guinee-Conakry- Guinea] at FIDH
  • [http://www.ohchr.org/EN/countries/AfricaRegion/Pages/GNIndex.aspx Guinea] at the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR)
  • [http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/guinea.html Guinea] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200923064845/https://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/guinea.html |date=2020-09-23 }} at UNICEF
  • [http://www.ifex.org/djibouti/ Djibouti] at the International Freedom of Expression Exchange (IFEX) (also available in [http://www.ifex.org/djibouti/fr/ French])

{{Guinea topics}}

{{Africa in topic|Human rights in}}

Guinea