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Guinea-Bissau: Human rights abuses committed by the police (1996-1998)

Information on Guinea-Bissau, including detailed examples of human rights abuses committed by the police during 1996-1998 is limited among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate.

 In a 28 April 1999 report, Amnesty International indicated that during the civil war, which started on 7 July 1998, "the police, particularly the security forces, were also involved in human rights violations including torture and rape."

Charged with selling arms to rebels in Southern Senegal in March 1998, five Guinea-Bissauans and two Senegalese civilians, seen to be in good condition two before, "all exhibited bruises consistent with severe beatings following two days of questioning by police and military officials" (Country Reports 1998 1999, 203). The report adds that "no action was taken by the government to determine responsibility for these beatings" despite the fact that "one of the Senegalese was paralyzed on the one side" (ibid.). Without referring to any specific cases, Country Report 1998 also stated that "police detained suspects without judicial authority or warrants, occasionally through the device of house arrests" (1999, 203).

For detailed examples of human rights violations attributed to the police during 1996, please refer to Amnesty International Report 1997, available in all Regional Documentation Centres.

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

Amnesty International (AI). 28 April 1999. Guiena-Bissau: Protecting Human Rights- A New Era. (AI Index: AFR30/04/99).

Amnesty International. 1997. Amnesty International Report 1997. New York: Amnesty International USA.

Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 1998. April 1999. Washington, DC: US Department of State.

Additional Sources Consulted

Africa Confidential 1996-1998.

Africa Research Bulletin 1996-1998.

IRB Databases.

Jeune Afrique 1996-1998.

Keesing's Record of World Events 1996-1998.

NewAfrican 1996-1998.

Le Nouvel Afrique-Asie 1996-1998.

Resource Centre county file. Guinea-Bissau. 1996-1998.

West Africa 1996-1998.

WNC Connection.

Internet sites including:

Africa News Service

Amnesty International Online.

Human Rights Watch Online.

Panafrican News Agency (PANA).

United Nations.

Topics: Human rights,