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Amnesty International Report 2004 - Guinea-Bissau

Covering events from January - December 2003

Politically motivated arrests of human rights defenders and political opponents continued. Political activists received threats and some were prevented from leaving the country. Soldiers arrested in December 2002 and accused of attempting to overthrow the government were held without charge, often incommunicado, in harsh conditions. Some were reportedly tortured; one died as a result. The authorities failed to investigate these and other human rights violations. There were further attempts to curb freedom of expression and undermine the judiciary. Dire economic and social conditions coupled with repeated postponement of parliamentary elections increased political instability. There was a military coup in September.

Background

Non-payment of salaries led to numerous strikes in the public sector, including by teachers and hospital workers. Discontent within the military who had not been paid was aggravated by the dismissal and subsequent arrest of the Minister of Defence in April. In May the military hierarchy warned President Kumba Ialá of the dangers of military discontent and some soldiers received their salaries.

Tension heightened as parliamentary elections were repeatedly postponed. The international community withheld funding for the elections pending elections to the Supreme Court and the promulgation of the Constitution, which had been approved by the National Assembly in 2001. Elections were finally scheduled for 12 October. However, they were postponed again in September. There were numerous allegations that the ruling Partido da Renovação Social (PRS), Social Renewal Party, tried to rig the electoral roll.

A bloodless military coup in September deposed President Ialá. It was welcomed by most citizens of Guinea-Bissau but condemned by the international community. An interim civilian government was formed charged with organizing legislative and presidential elections within six and 18 months respectively. However, there was discontent about the choice of prime minister, and demonstrations to protest were banned by the military authorities. A National Transitional Council of military and civilians, chaired by the Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces, was set up to supervise the head of state and the government.

The judiciary was not independent and attempts by judges to be independent were punished. For instance, judges who displeased the government were often dismissed or transferred to remote areas of the country. The political authorities often ignored judicial decisions and refused to release detainees or ordered the release of others.

In December the mandate of the UN Peace-building Support Office in Guinea-Bissau (UNOGBIS) was extended until 31 December 2004.

Arrest of human rights defenders

The authorities arrested and threatened human rights activists, including trade unionists, for criticizing government policies.

• João Vaz Mané, Vice-President of the Guinea-Bissau Human Rights League, was arrested in January and held incommunicado in the main police station, Segunda Esquadra, in the capital Bissau for 21 days before he was released without charge. He had criticized President Ialá in a radio broadcast for making funds available to Muslims to travel to Mecca while workers had not been paid. Following his release João Vaz Mané sued the authorities for unlawful arrest and detention. The case had not been heard by the end of the year.

Freedom of expression and the media

There were further attempts to curb freedom of expression. Media workers were harassed and briefly detained for reporting on the activities of opposition political activists. In February the authorities withdrew the licence of the independent radio station Rádio Bombolomon grounds that the licence had been granted by a previous government. The station reopened in May after it successfully challenged the decision in court. Ensa Seidi lost his job with the national state radio station after he reported on the visit to Guinea-Bissau in March of the President of the Partido Unido Social Demócrata (PUSD), United Social Democratic Party, who lives abroad. In September, four employees of Radio Sintchan Occô in the eastern town of Gabú were detained for 24 hours after broadcasting comments by an opposition politician critical of President Ialá.

Politically motivated arrests and harassment

There were politically motivated arrests and harassment of leading members of political parties and others. Members of the Movimento Bafatá-Resistência da Guiné-Bissau (MB-RGB – Bafata Movement-Guinea-Bissau Resistence), the PUSD and the former ruling Partido Africano da Independência da Guiné e Cabo Verde (PAIGC – African Party for the Independence of Guinea-Bissau and Cape Verde), were particularly targeted.

• Zinha Vaz, an MB-RGB member of parliament, was briefly detained in February after she replied to comments that President Ialá made about her father.

She was released without charge two days later. A ban against travelling imposed on Zinha Vaz was lifted in July.

• Five PAIGC members and former government officials – Carlos Correia, Mário Mendes, Filinto Barros, José Pereira and Francisca Pereira – were detained for four days in February in connection with a decision in 1986 by the Council of State, of which they were members, to execute six members of the Balanta ethnic group convicted of an attempt to overthrow the former government of Guinea-Bissau headed by President João Bernardo Vieira. The four men and one woman were released uncharged but remained under restrictive conditions for several months.

• Marcelino Lopes Cabral was arrested in April, a week after he was dismissed as Defence Minister, for allegedly making defamatory remarks. Two days later, José de Pina, a former presidential adviser, was dismissed from his post and arrested for allegedly passing information to Marcelino Lopes Cabral that the authorities considered defamatory. Both were held at the Segunda Esquadra until their release on bail in late June. They were not charged.

Threats against government opponents

Political opponents of the government were threatened with physical harm, including death. Members of the PUSD were particularly targeted.

• PUSD member Carlos Silva Schwarz escaped unhurt after a group of men wearing uniforms of the Rapid Intervention Police opened fire on his house on the night of 28 March. He had received an anonymous letter the previous day threatening to kill him and several other politicians.

Detention of alleged coup plotters

Eleven military officers continued to be held without charge at the end of the year. They were part of a group of more than 30 soldiers arrested in December 2002 on allegations of plotting a coup. Most had been arrested previously, including Major Almane Alam Camará who had been imprisoned in 2000 and 2001 following unproved allegations of coup attempts. The 11 were held incommunicado in harsh conditions until May. Several were reportedly tortured and some needed hospital treatment. One died (see below). Three civilians, including Ernesto Carvalho, Vice-President of the National Unity party, were also arrested in December 2002, apparently in connection with the same coup allegations. They were held incommunicado in harsh conditions in the main police station in Bissau until their release without charge in May.

• Second-Lieutenant Mussá Cassamá, who was arrested in December 2002, died in custody in Cumeré barracks in February, apparently as a result of torture. He had allegedly been tied and beaten. His body showed signs consistent with torture. The authorities failed to carry out an investigation into his death.

Human rights violations by police

The police violated human rights.

• In June a police officer in Pixce in the south shot dead Rui António Mendes. The officer accused him of buying cashew nuts illegally and took him to the local police station. During interrogation the police officer reportedly shot him. Unconfirmed reports suggested the officer was arrested. He had not been tried by the end of the year.

• In May a woman was raped while in custody in the Segunda Esquadra. Police officers had gone to her house in the night to arrest her husband. As he was not there they arrested the woman instead and took her to the police station where she was raped by three officers. She eventually escaped and went to the UN office for help. The police officers were arrested.

However, they were released the next day by the national chief of police who then ordered the arrest of the magistrate who had ordered the arrest of the officers.

• In April the Rapid Intervention Police reportedly used excessive force to disperse a student demonstration in Bissau. They beat students and opened fire on them. Several demonstrators were reportedly injured and at least 10 were briefly detained.